


Vagary

by LovelyLittleGrim



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: A few nice cliche's are thrown in, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Lots of Theo feels, M/M, Slow Burn, accidental friends, two different povs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-01-18 13:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 38,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12389463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLittleGrim/pseuds/LovelyLittleGrim
Summary: Liam is worried everything will go to shit once the elder pack members leave Beacon Hills.It does, of course, but he has Mason and Corey there to help him out.He also, surprisingly, has Theo Raeken.This story revolves mostly around and about Theo and his character growth.Alternating POV between Liam and Theo.(3rd person limited POV)Will tag as story progresses





	1. Chapter One: Liam

**Author's Note:**

> First: I don't own teen wolf.  
> Second: This isn't beta'd, so all mistakes are my own.  
> If you spot any major ones feel free to point them out to me. Constructive criticism is always welcome.  
> Third: I'll try to update regularly.

To say that Liam was a nervous wreck when Scott and the rest of the pack finally said farewell would be an understatement. Liam was terrified that as soon as Scott crossed the county line all Hell would break loose. Figuratively and literally, because as he's quickly starting to realize that's a thing that both can and will happen in Beacon Hills. A part of him wants to leave as well, convince his mom and dad that things would be better for everyone if they just started fresh in some other town or city. Anywhere as long as it wasn't here where things liked to go bump in the night... And eat people, and make them disappear, and rip them to shreds, and experiment on them.... This town sucks.

“You’re not going to cry, are you?” a voice mocks from behind him.

Liam hunches his shoulders and tries not to groan because there it was; A literal spawn of Hell standing just behind him and judging Liam with his everything. Scott has only been gone for thirty minutes for fuck's sake, he doesn't deserve this. Liam turns around slowly, dreading every second of it. He glares murderously at the Chimera that's just slunk out of some shadow with the sole intent on annoying him with his presence, “What are you doing here?”

“I had to have a little chat with Scott about something,” Theo shrugs, offering nothing else in the way of an explanation.

“He’s already left,” Liam grinds out. "Or are you blind?"

Theo looks unimpressed by his barbs, then again Theo isn't impressed by much. “Yeah, I know," The Chimera drawls, rolling his eyes. "I already spoke with him, before you and your little pack of friends got here."

It's Mason that asks, “Then why are you still here?”

“I thought I’d wait and see if you got all misty-eyed,” Theo smirks, slipping his hands into the pockets of his hoodie looking the very picture of a nonchalant psychopath. “Maybe, snap a few pictures for blackmail, post them around the school." Liam ignores him in favor of asking; “What did you talk with Scott about?”

“That’s not really any of your business, now is it,” He cocks an eyebrow. He’s grinning like he's just won a well-played game. It makes Liam nervous. “See you around, Littlewolf.”

Liam scowls at him as he disappears through the throng of parked cars, and continues scowling long after he's gone. Mason turns to him, “What do you think he had to talk to Scott about?"

"Maybe, he still wants in Scott's pack," Corey offers by way of an explanation. Even Corey doesn't look very convinced though.

"Should we text Scott and ask him," Mason wonders out loud, already fishing his phone from his back pocket.

Liam really doesn't want to text his alpha who had literally just left. He wants to prove that he can handle this, that he can handle being on his own, but Theo's words grate at him until finally, he grudgingly gives in, "Yeah, okay, text him."

Mason, who had been waiting for Liam's approval smiles reassuringly and shoots off a quick text. The three of them wait, standing in a tight circle for a response. When Mason's phone finally alerts them to a text message they all suck in a breath. Mason opens the message, his eyes flickering across the screen. He breathes out an, "Oh."

"What?" Liam and Corey practically shout, suspense eating away at them.

“So, we’re going to be seeing much more of Theo," He says slowly like he's trying to soften a blow or figure a way around giving it at all.

 “Why,” Corey asks, peeking over Mason’s arm at the text. “Oh.”

“What?” Liam growls.

The pair shoots him a furtive glance, “Because he’s going back to high school.”

Liam turns and smacks his head against the hood of Mason's car groaning, "No."

Mason yelps, hands running over the hood. “Hey, easy with my baby!”

Liam wonders if there are any stray hunters running around and if they would mind terribly just shooting him in the head right now.

***

 There were hunters, of course, there were hunters. These hunters were more covert than the last ones though, which was a bit of a blessing because they weren’t likely to open fire in the middle of school or a hospital. Still, Liam wishes he could have just kept his stupid mouth shut. Who asks for hunters? God, he’s a dumbass sometimes. He’d been having two, surprisingly peaceful weeks before now. Well, okay, not exactly peaceful, because Theo was always lurking somewhere in the background like an ominous entity. And, yeah, Liam will admit that Theo hadn’t been doing anything to disturb the peace per se, other than existing, but it was unnerving to look around at lunch and see him being so…Normal? The point remains however that Liam had definitely brought this on himself, somehow.

“Hunters,” Mason yells, from where he’s crouching. He also blames Liam for this. Liam wishes now that he hadn’t mentioned the idle thought to Mason several times this week. “You wished for hunters and now look!”

“Yes, I know,” Liam grumbles peeking out from behind the tree. He can’t see anyone but he can hear heartbeats and catch the faintest hint of a scent, but it's strange like it's being masked with something else. 

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Liam growls out a curse. “Fuck, let me think.”

Suddenly, he’s being jerked backward. He swipes out with his claws in a panic and catches Theo across a shoulder, “What –

Theo glares at him and then down at his ruined shirt, blood is soaking into the dark blue material.

“I come to save your lives and this is the thanks I get, you’re so charming Liam, really.” He deadpans.

“Why are you here?” Mason asks, holding tightly to Corey’s bloody hand.

Theo looks at him like he’s stupid, the look makes Liam growl in warning. Theo ignores him. “Didn’t I just say? I came to save your losers.”

“Yeah, but why?” Mason inquires, staring up at him.

“And how did you know we needed saving?” Corey adds.

 “We don’t need saving,” Liam interjects, because he’s annoyed at Theo and the situation, and having to be rescued by someone he hates because it just proves his theory that he wasn’t ready to be an alpha yet. That he wasn’t ready for Scott and the others to leave him. “We had this perfectly under control before you got here.”

Theo looks pointedly down at Corey, whose leg is still bleeding, albeit sluggishly now. He turns back to Liam and gives a sarcastic smile, “You’re right, you’ve got this in the bag, I’ll just leave you boys to it.”

“You’re such an asshole,” Liam bites, running his hands through his hand and down his face in frustration. He doesn’t want help, but he knows that he needs it. Doesn’t want to ask for it, even though he knows that for some reason Theo would comply.

“Guys, we really don’t have the time to be arguing about this,” Mason says exasperatingly. “Corey’s hurt, and if we stay here much longer I’m pretty sure we’re all going to be sporting bullet holes and _some_ of us don’t heal that fast.”

Theo grins knowingly at Liam. The smug bastard. Liam focuses his attention on a tree just over the chimera’s shoulder so he doesn’t have to look at him.“Do you have a plan?”

“We distract the hunters while Corey and Mason run to my truck,” Theo points to the far left. “It’s just up there. When we have a chance we follow after them.”

“That sounds more like a suicide mission than a plan,” Corey whispers to Mason.

Mason grips his hand tighter, “We’ll just have to run fast, so they don’t have to distract them for long.”

Liam nods, “Yeah, okay.”

Theo extends his claws, eyes glowing yellow in the darkness, “Get ready you two, on the count of three, run.”

Mason helps Corey stand, his arm gripped like a vice around Corey’s waist, his face grim, “Be careful you two, try not to die, okay?”

“We’ll be fine, just be ready to drive, Mason.” Liam offers as reassurance.

“One,” Theo shakes his head and lets out a long low breath.

“Two,” Liam extends his own claws, finally letting himself feel the anger that’s been sitting like a stone in the pit of stomach since the first bullet lodged itself into Corey’s thigh.

“Three,” they all yell in unison. Corey and Mason make a mad dash across the preserve as Liam and Theo run out from behind the tree towards the hunters, dodging bullets left and right. The scent of gunpowder and blood fill the air like smoke from a fire, it engulfs them, chokes them. Liam hears a grunt of pain followed by a sharp hiss of breath. Somewhere to his right Theo had just been shot.

A Sudden pain radiates through his shoulder, he grinds his teeth against the sting. Another sharp burst of pain erupts in his side. Shit, they were going to die. He stumbled behind a tree, dug his claws into the bark. He wondered if Mason and Corey were close to the truck yet. Wondered if they were even going the correct way. It’s not like they knew where it was really parked. He peeked out from behind the tree, but he couldn’t see the hunters or Theo. He took a deep breath and darted for another tree. More shots rang out, flashing like little fires in the darkness up ahead.

He gasps for breath, blood coating his mouth. Two more bullets had found their way into his body. One in the middle of his abdomen, the other in his left thigh. A strange scent floated in the air, like herbs. He wondered if that’s what was keeping him from smelling the hunters properly. He took a deep breath, it was hard to smell much else, but there was something.

“Liam!”

“Theo?”

“Count to ten and then start running for the truck,” Theo grunts, from somewhere to his right. 

Liam leans back against the tree, blood smearing into the wood. He feels nauseous; hopes the bullets don’t have wolfsbane in them. He closes his eyes and starts to slowly count.

This close he can make out the heartbeats. Four of them, one of which is Theo’s. There are only three hunters. Liam feels embarrassed. They’ve taken on more than that and won. The ten seconds mark has passed, but Liam stays put. Angry at himself, he starts to step out from behind the tree, ready to shred the hunters, but Theo stops him with an arm around his waist. 

Theo jerks him back behind the tree just a several shots hit the bark where Liam's head had just been. He yells at Liam, “Liam you idiot, are you trying to get yourself killed!”

They stumble back, Liam growls at the chimera, shoves him off. Theo lets him go, holds his arms up pacifyingly. His actions are at odds with his tone of voice when he rages, “Don’t get yourself killed, dumbass! You can get back at them another day, but right now, we need to meet with Mason and Corey, who are still in these woods, waiting for us!”

Liam wants to ignore him. He hates when Theo’s right.

 

***

Mason doesn’t even wait for them to close the door before he’s peeling out of the woods and onto a road. Liam glances behind them several times for a pursuing car, before slouching in his seat with relief. Theo kicks him lightly in the thigh, “Stop bleeding all over my seats.” He grouses.

Liam snorts, “You’re bleeding more than I am.”

“Yeah, but it’s _my_ blood in my car," Theo smirks, tiredly. "It's different."

Liam opens his mouth to argue that it's really not.

“Guys, where am I going?” Mason cuts in, hands gripping tightly to the steering wheel.

Liam looks down at himself and over at Theo. They’re both covered in blood, and sporting multiple wounds, some still with bullets in them.

“Hospital,” Corey suggests, his legs still sluggishly bleeding, the bullet had probably knicked an artery in his thigh. “See if Ms. McCall’s working.”

 “We should talk to Argent,” Theo murmurs. “See if he’s heard anything about hunters in this area, or if he can find out.”

“Wouldn’t he be, kind of blacklisted?” Mason theorizes. “I mean, he did side with the supernatural side.”

“Can you be blacklisted?” Theo wonders.

“Seems like the way to be,” Replies mason.

Liam groans, he has no idea what to do. All he knows it that pretty much everything hurts right now, and he’s exhausted. He wants someone to take the bullets out of his extremities and sleep for 24 hours. He wants Scott and the others to be here, to tell him the right choice. 

“So,” Mason says lowly, “Hospital?”

“No,” Theo leans forward. “Scott's mom isn’t working tonight, we should just go to her house.”

“Her house,” Mason squeaks, eyeing the dash clock. “It’s three in the morning, Theo, she’s probably asleep.”

Liam wants an answer to how Theo knows Ms. McCall's schedule. He knows that if he asks he won't get one, at least, not a truthful one and he doesn't want to argue right now. 

“Yeah, and both Liam and Mason still have bullets in them.” Theo snarks “Unless you want your best friend and boyfriend to heal over them, who knows if they have wolfsbane in them. There are different types you know, not all of them are fast acting or obvious. Who knows, they could be slowly dying as we speak."

Mason glares into the rearview mirror at Theo but turns the truck in the direction of Ms. McCall’s house. Liam shoots a pointed look at the chimera, trying to silently tell him to stop being so antagonistic. If Theo understands the look he gives no indication, but he’s thankfully silent the rest of the ride.

 

***

They were covered in blood and fading bruises when they arrived at Melissa McCall’s house. The two-story home was silent and dark, like every other house on the block. Two hearts were beating steadily somewhere on the second level. Liam frowns, Scott wasn’t in town.

“Is Mr. Argent _meeting_ us here,” Corey whispers, looking every bit as exhausted as Liam feels. Mason glances over at Liam, “I didn’t text him, did you?”

“I don’t have his number,” Liam admits.

Theo rolls his eyes and reaches out to ring the doorbell, “He’s already here, you idiots.”

Theo turns and starts to walk off.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Liam hooks his claws into the back of Theo’s already ruined shirt and tugs him backward. Caught by surprise Theo stumbles back into Liam, causing them both to fall heavily against the door right as it swings open. The pair of them tumbles to the hard-wooden floor just inside the house.

“Fuck,” Theo growls in pain, trying to untangle himself from Liam. “You little shit, Liam, let me go!”

Liam punches him roughly in the arm and tries to roll away.

“What the hell are you boys doing – Is that blood,” Melissa covers her face with her hands tiredly. Chris is standing next to her, gun pointed at them. He’s blinking sleepily, a confused wrinkle between his eyebrows.

 _Oh,_ Liam thinks and wonders how he hadn’t caught _that_. Then again, he’s still, admittedly, not very good at reading chemo-signals.

“What’s going on,” The ex-hunter barks at them. He’s no longer looking at them but instead staring out into the night as if the danger was just beyond the front lawn waiting to pounce. He doesn’t lower his gun.

“Hunters,” Mason says with a little wave of hello as Liam and Theo righten themselves. “We got caught in the woods by a small group of them a few hours ago. They took us by surprise.”

Melissa murmurs something about how difficult her life is, but Liam doesn’t catch all of it over the creaking of floorboards as Mason and Corey slink into the house. Melissa disappears into the house. Chris gives Liam and Theo a hard stare as if daring them to act out, before turning and leading the way to the kitchen. Theo stands uncomfortably just inside the doorway, Liam watches him wearily, wondering if the Chimera was going to try to bolt again. Theo doesn’t move except to carefully close and lock the door, so Liam delves deeper into the house towards the others, Theo following quietly behind; shoulders hunched like he’s trying to make himself less noticeable.

 _Well,_ Liam muses. _I guess that makes sense. It took Melissa weeks to forgive me and what Theo did was way worse. She probably wouldn’t hesitate to stab him right here._

Liam made a mental note to keep Melissa McCall and Theo Raeken as far away from each other as he could. He didn’t like Theo, but he was useful enough to keep around. Also, he didn’t want Ms.Mccall to have that kind of blood on her hands, not when he had promised Scott that he would look after her while the alpha was away at college.

“Alright,” Chris announces sitting at the kitchen table next to where Mason had deposited Corey. “Tell us what happened.”

“You can start,” Melissa says loudly, coming into the kitchen with a first aid kit the size of a duffle bag. She gives all of them a disapproving stare, that makes the teens collectively wince. “By telling us what you boys were doing out in the woods in the middle of the night.”


	2. Chapter Two: Theo

Theo's leaning against the door frame to the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest. He’s trying to look less like a murderer and more like a typical teenager, but he’s pretty sure it’s not working. He’s no longer covered in blood, though, which is kind of a point in his favor. He’d gone out to his truck and changed his shirt, Liam right on his tail, worried he’d take off. In fairness though, if Liam hadn’t followed him, Theo’s pretty sure he would have. Might have even kept driving past the Beacon Hills sign, run away to somewhere safe, except with Monroe on the loose, he’s not sure anywhere is safe anymore. Not that it was honestly all that safe, to begin with. Not with people like him roaming around.

“Who do you think the hunters are,” Mason asks Mr. Argent. The human is always full of questions. He reminds Theo of Stiles in a way, just less snarky and pessimistic. Also, Theo likes him way better.

The ex-hunter shakes his head, he looks tired. Theo doesn’t know if it’s because they woke him up at nearly four in the morning, or if he’s just tired of the constant bullshit in general. It’s probably both, he surmises when he catches Argent stifle a yawn. “It’s hard to say, these days everyone with a gun thinks they’re a hunter.”

“That’s helpful,” Theo huffs before he can think better of it. Liam elbows him roughly in the side. Melissa glares at him from across the kitchen. Her finger presses on the trigger of the cattle prod she had picked up after patching up Liam and Corey. Electricity sizzles through the air for a long moment before she releases the trigger. Theo had gone to the bathroom and dug his own bullets out of himself. He was far too wary of the woman to let her anywhere near him. He can see he made a wise decision.

“One of the hunters smelled young,” Liam mentions offhandedly, his brows are furrowed in concentration.

He shrugs, “I couldn’t really catch a definite scent, the hunters were using some sort of herbs to mask it, but when Theo and I got closer I think I smelled one of them. They smelled young, like maybe a kid. I don’t know, there’s a difference in smells between someone young and someone older…”

“It’s hard to explain,” Liam adds as an afterthought, smiling apologetically at Argent and Melissa.

“A kid,” Melissa mumbles to herself.

She looks worried.

Theo wonders if she’s remembering Gabe: The 15-year-old boy that had died for nothing, fighting a war that should have never been waged in the first place.

“Or a teenager,” Corey chimes, he looks better now. Less pale and like he’s on the verge of death. From what Theo had been able to hear from the bathroom, a bullet had clipped the little chimera’s femoral artery which explains why it had taken so long for the single wound to heal. Apparently, Corey was very lucky to even be alive. Mason tilts his head in thought, “Maybe, they’re a student?”

Liam nods encouragingly, “Yeah.”

The werewolf steps away from Theo to stand beside Corey and Mason. He’s wearing one of Theo’s shirts, it sags a bit in the shoulders on him. Liam had been surprised when after Theo had tugged on a new shirt he’d held one out for Liam to change into. The beta had slowly taken it, eyes cautious.

“Thanks,” Liam had muttered at him, turning around and shrugging off his own shirt, dropping it into the asphalt of the driveway. Theo had stared at the patchwork of exit wounds that were slowly healing all along his back before his view was obscured by Liam pulling Theo’s long sleeved black shirt over his head.

“Can you check the school records,” Chris asks suddenly, pulling Theo from his thoughts. The older man is staring at Liam. “Maybe, they’re new to town, possibly a transfer student.”

Liam shares a look with Mason and Corey, then glances over his shoulder at Theo. “Yeah,” He tells Argent. “We can do it.”

“Good,” Argent nods with finality. “I’ll check with a few old friends, see if they've heard of anything. Until we find out more don’t go anywhere alone. Stick in pairs and to well-lit places. These hunters don’t sound like they were a part of the war, but it’s still best to use extreme caution.”

Melissa steps forward, “You boys be safe and don’t hesitate to call us if you need help; day or night it doesn’t matter.”

“Believe me, we won’t hesitate,” Corey croaks making Melissa grin at him.

Mason smiles and nods in agreement, “We’re a fan of survival.”

Melissa’s smile slips off her face as she straightens her back and turns to Theo, “That goes for you too.”

He freezes under her gaze, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car careening towards it. He’s killed her son, and yeah, okay, maybe Scott’s not dead, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t _die_ because of Theo. He had greedily sought-after power, uncaring of who or what got in his way. He had ended Melissa McCall’s only son’s life, and yeah, she had been able to bring him back, but facts were facts and the damage was done. For her to offer him salvation in a dire situation was just remarkable. Melissa McCall’s was something Theo Raeken could never hope to be: She was an honestly good person.

She doesn’t wait for a response before turning on her heel and stalking away. He can hear her climbing the stairs, most likely heading to bed to try and catch some more sleep before her shift at the hospital starts. Argent is watching him carefully, cold blue eyes peering at him, searching for something. The ex-hunter scoffs after a moment, apparently not finding whatever it was he'd been looking for and follows Melissa up the stairs to bed.

"Not sure how I didn't catch that," Mason says into the ensuing silence. "Does Scott know his mom's seeing Mr. Argent."

Theo snorts, "I'm pretty sure Scott knows, they've been eye fucking each other for months."

Liam's nose scrunches up, "Oh, gross, I did not need that visual."

Mason snorts, but look's just as weirded out.

“So, what’s the plan,” Corey asks, effectively changing the subject. He doesn’t sound very enthusiastic though, then again, he had been shot earlier. Theo wasn’t feeling very enthusiastic himself either.

“Monday, when everyone’s at lunch, we break into the principals’ office and hack his computer.”

“Great plan, how do we hack his computer?”

“Uh,” Liam’s brows furrow. “I’m not sure, shouldn’t be too hard, though, right?”

“Not if one of us was a professional hacker,” Theo mocks.

 _These idiots are going to be the death of me,_ He can’t help but think.

“The password could be somewhere on the principal’s desk,” Liam argues his point. “The principal's some old guy, they forget things; like passwords.”

Theo shakes his head as he walks out of the kitchen. He goes ahead and says out loud, “We’re all going to die.”

“Gotta love that positivity,” Mason sighs. The human follows him out of the kitchen, Corey and Liam bringing up the rear.

“Or not,” The grumpy little beta wolf snipes.

It makes Theo duck his head low to hide his grin as he falls onto a cushiony chair in the living room. Mason and Corey pass by him to the stairs. Melissa had graciously offered her house to the teens to rest until daybreak. The lovebirds were taking Scott's bed upstairs while Liam and Theo were free to pass out in the living room.

“Night,” Mason yawned at Liam who nodded back, flopping down on the couch with a content sigh.

Theo let his eyes fall shut, his head leaning against the back of the chair, he wondered if he could sneak out to his truck once Liam fell asleep. The thought of sleeping here made his skin feel tight and itchy. It didn’t feel right, not after everything he had done, but he was admittedly exhausted. Hadn’t had a quiet’s night rest in months now.

“It reclines, you know.”

Theo startles upright, he had just started to doze off when Liam’s voice cut through the darkness. He breathes deeply through his nose and exhales what should have been an irritated, “What?”, but comes out softer and confused sounding. He stares at where Liam is laying, a dark blob of a shadow on the pale blue couch.

“The chair,” Liam whispers. “It reclines.”

“Yes,” Theo says, he doesn’t understand why they’re having this conversation. “That would be why it’s called a recliner…”

“I mean,” Liam sounds a little frustrated. “It would be more comfortable if you – You know, what? Never mind, just go to sleep.”

Theo hears Liam roll over, turning away from him. Theo lowers his hand to the side of the chair, lets it hover for a long moment as he debates with himself over getting comfortable and going to sleep or waiting to run away.

He pulls the lever, his legs getting propped up as the chair reclines.

He can practically smell the smugness wafting off Liam. He grumbles out a tired, “Shut up.”

Liam chuckles but says nothing.

 

Theo’s disoriented when he wakes up. There’s the clatter of plates and the soft murmuring of voices and Theo hasn’t heard those noises in years. For a moment he thinks he’s eight again, but then reality crashes back on him like a punch to the face.

“Wake up,” Liam grumbles, nudging him harder in the arm. “You need to drive us to Mason’s car.”

Theo blinks blurrily up at Liam, “Why?”

“Because, asshole, we left it in the woods.”

Theo sits up, running a hand through his hair. He hopes it doesn’t look as tangled as it feels. God, he wants a shower.

His voice is pure snark when he speaks, staring condescendingly up at the beta wolf. “Doesn’t that strike you as a bad idea? You know, going back into the woods where we were repeatedly shot just last night?”

“Yes, it strikes me as a bad idea,” Liam crosses his arms. “But, Mason need’s his car and his parents will kill him if they find out he ditched it in the woods.”

“Mason being figuratively killed is a lot better than him being legitimately killed by hunters hiding out in the woods.”

“That’s kind of a good point,” Mason says from behind Liam.

Liam turns on Mason, “You’re agreeing with him again.”

“Yeah, I know” Mason shrugs and smiles apologetically. “In my defense though, he has smart ideas every now and then.”

“I agree with Theo,” Corey confesses from the foot of the stairs. “Though, any idea where Mason doesn’t die is a great idea to me.”

Mason points at Corey, “Same.”

Mason frowns.  “But, I really do need my car.”

Theo looks askance up at the ceiling, he’s not sure why. If God were even real, there’s no way he’d ever help him.

“Fine,” Theo snaps. “But, you morons are cleaning the blood out of my car as payment.”

Liam shakes his head, “What, no –“

“Done,” Mason agrees, cutting Liam off. He shoots Liam a look, “He saved our asses and you bled out all over his car, we can clean it as payment.”

“He bled all over his own car too,” Liam grumbles under his breath walking towards the front door. “Asshole.”

“Heard that,” Theo sings, swiping the keys out of Corey’s outstretched hand. Liam flips him off and slams the front door behind him, the house rattles with his departure.

Theo snorts out a quiet laugh.

 

The drive to the woods seems longer than it had the previous night. It’s a quiet trip, with Mason and Liam sitting in the back seat and Corey sitting nervously in the passenger seat again. The only sound is the whir of the wind because after ten minutes in the car Theo had had to roll the windows down, the stench of blood permeating the interior of the car. It reminds him of his time with the dread doctors. Wherever they had stayed had always smelled of blood. It made Theo grip the steering wheel tight enough for the metal to dent beneath his fingers.

“Turn here,” Corey says just loud enough over the wind. “Mason’s car is just a little farther up.”

Theo spots it moments later and slows down, eyes carefully scanning the tree line for any sign of a threat. He stops the car nearly twenty feet away from Mason’s and tells the other’s to wait before they can get out. He cuts the engine and listens. He doesn’t look at Liam when he asks, “Do you hear anything?”

Liam cocks his head towards his open window, closes his eyes and holds his breath. After several long seconds he opens his eyes and shakes his head, “I just hear animals, lots of them.”

“Little ones,” He amends quickly when Mason looks a bit alarmed.

Theo nods starting the truck and pulling up next to Mason's car. “Alright, losers, get the hell out.”

Corey complies quickly, practically throwing himself out of the truck in his haste. Mason grimaces as he scoots closer to the door, across dried blood and opens it. He hops out and runs his hands over his thighs, “Thanks.”

Mason pauses, “Um, I have a chemistry club meeting today, but if you bring me your truck tomorrow we can clean it.”

Theo shakes his head, he can’t wait until tomorrow to get the blood out of the seats. He can’t sleep with that coppery smell in his nose, can't have it fucking with his head; dredging up memories of the dread doctors and of hell, of him getting his heart ripped out on repeat.

“Don’t worry about it, I can clean it myself.” He rasps already dreading the thought. He decides to make a joke, knows it will fall short, doesn’t care anyway. “I’m used to things getting bloody.”

Mason’s face scrunches up in distaste at the blatant reminder that Theo is a murderer and climbs into his car.

Theo’s still waiting for Liam to get out of his truck, but Liam just glares into the rearview mirror at him. “Did you forget how car doors work?”

“No,” Liam says snottily.

“Apparently you did," Theo says like he's talking to someone particularly dimwitted. "Because you're supposed to be getting out now.”

Liam shakes his head and climbs over the middle console into the passenger seat. The ridiculous little werewolf continues to ignore him as he buckles himself in and waves at Mason, “Hey, go ahead without me.”

“You sure,” Mason asks, driver door open.

"No," Theo argues leaning over to try and catch Mason's eye.

“Yeah,” Liam nods, purposely blocking Theo's view. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” Mason says reluctantly. “Be careful.”

Liam turns to him finally causing Theo to jerk back or get hit in the face, he's pretty tired of having his nose broken by the kid. He's completely confused when Liam continues to stare at him like he's waiting for Theo to do something. Theo stares back.

Liam waves a hand at the ignition and steering wheel, “Well?”

“Well, what?” Theo snaps.

“I thought we were cleaning out your car,” Liam huffs like he’s the one who’s exasperated by this situation.

“ _I’m_ cleaning my car,” Theo points at himself, then at Liam perplexedly. “ _You_ are apparently walking home, now that your ride has left without you.”

"The deal was you give us a ride to Mason's car and we clean the blood out of your truck," Liam paraphrases their earlier agreement.

"Yeah, and I told Mason to forget about it," Theo says slowly. "Besides, you complained about having to clean the truck anyway. You're off the hook now so get out and have fun walking back to town."

“Look, stop being a dick,” Liam counters. “I said I’d clean out your car, so I’m going to clean your damn car.”

They stare each other down. Theo knows that the only way he's going to get Liam out of his truck is to knock him out. He entertains the idea briefly, but leaving the beta unconscious on the side of the rode would definitely be frowned up. Also, if Liam didn't get kidnapped or killed by hunters he would definitely be pissed at Theo and Theo would subsequently get a few broken noses. Also, Melissa McCall would hunt him down and taser him to death.

“Great,” Theo says succinctly, looking away. He twists the key in the ignition with more force than necessary. “This should be fun.”

 

Watching Liam struggle with cleaning the interior is probably the most amusing thing Theo has ever had the chance to bear witness to. The duo had pulled into the only self-serve car cleaning establishment in the Beacon Hills area almost two hours ago and after briefly fighting with Liam about how to go about cleaning it because “No, Dunbar, you are not just going to hose out my seats!” They were finally making progress.

“No, no, no,” Liam argues. “We’re not making anything, _I’m_ the one making progress, you’re sitting on your ass relaxing.”

“I’m offering helpful advice from a vantage point,” Theo goads. “You’re very lucky I’m here.”

“I'd be luckier if you were back in Hell," Liam grouses.

The playful little ball that had been building in Theo dissolves suddenly, like cotton candy on the tongue. “Gee,” He says dryly, looking up at the sky to hide his eyes. “That’s so sweet.”

A pained noise escapes Liam. Theo looks back at him, and surprisingly enough he looks guilty. The little fail wolf of a beta starts to talk, but abruptly snaps his mouth shut when a squad car pulls into the parking lot. Sherriff Stilinksi climbs out of the car, hat in one hand, the other resting on the hilt of his holstered gun.

"I’ve had multiple complaints called into the department about a pair of teenagers cleaning a very bloody truck," He sounds long-suffering as he puts his hat on. "I should have known it would be you two." ”

Liam picks nervously at the blood-soaked sponge in his hands. He looks all kinds of ridiculous and guilty right now, wearing a DIY trash bag apron and yellow rubber cleaning clothes with smears of blood.

“Neither of you thought that maybe cleaning it in such a public area would cause a bit of a panic?” The Sherriff glances at the open doors of the truck but stays where he is. “Do I even want to know why the truck is covered in blood?”

Theo bites the inside of his cheek and realizes that yeah this was probably a bad judgment call on his part. Then again, he was kind of the king of bad judgment calls at this point. He hadn’t really thought much when a little old woman had pulled in, taken one look at Theo’s truck and sped away, had assumed she just didn't like teenagers. He wonders if that says something about his already pretty fucked up psyche.

“We’re making a zombie movie,” Liam exclaims, so suddenly and so loudly that Theo nearly topples off the tailgate because he jerks hard to the left in surprise. The only thing keeping him upright was that his claws had extended and dug into the black textured plastic under him.

The Sherriff raises a judgmental eyebrow at the pair of them, “You expect me to believe that?”

“What- no, I mean, others,” Liam rushes to explain, he looks a bit embarrassed. “Tell anyone that asks that we’re making a zombie movie and that it’s fake blood for one of our scenes.”

“A zombie movie, huh.”

“Might work,” Theo agrees, but he sounds unsure even to himself. Most of the town _know_  about the supernatural now, even if they are all extremely in denial. Most of them even refuse to acknowledge the war that had taken place a little over a month ago.

“And the real story,” The Sheriff asks archly, hands on his hips. 

“We were attacked by hunters last night,” Liam admits, slouching against the tailgate of the truck next to Theo.  “Don’t worry though, we’re handling it.”

“ _We’re?_ ”

“Yeah, Mason, Corey and us,” Liam motions between him and Theo, but doesn't look at him.

“Liam thinks it might have been a student,” Theo says offhandedly, not meeting the Sheriff's eyes. Guilt sits in the pit of his stomach, heavy like a stone. “We’re going to see if there have been any new transfer students.”

The Sherriff nods, “Okay, you boys be careful and don’t hesitate to call me or Parrish for help.”

“We won’t, Sir,” Liam nods.

The Sherriff starts to climb into his Patrol car, “And hurry up with that mess!”

It’s awkwardly quiet as they watch the Sherriff drive away, taillights disappearing around a bend. Theo hops down from the tailgate and slips on a pair of yellow rubber gloves, like the ones Liam’s wearing. He grimaces as he grabs a sponge and dunks it into the bucket of soapy rust colored water sitting next to the tire and starts scrubbing at the blood all over his floorboards. It smells worse when the water soaks into it. Makes him want to gag or cry, maybe even both.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Liam says quietly behind him.

Theo stills; doesn’t turn around no matter how much he wants to at this moment.

“I shouldn’t keep holding that over you,” Liam sounds angry at himself. “It’s not right.”

Theo scoffs, but his heart is beating wildly within his chest. He hopes that Liam can’t heart it over the whirring of the free vacuum machines.

“I’m serious okay, I won’t bring it up around you again,” Liam vows adamantly and weirdly enough Theo believes him.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Theo laughs, a little derisively because the tone has become entirely too serious and personal, “Thanks, Hazel Grace.”

When he finally glances over his shoulder it’s to see Liam’s confused pout, “Who’s Hazel Grace?

Theo juts out a hip, arms crossing over his chest, “Seriously, you’ve never read The Fault in Our Stars?”

“No.”

“What about the movie?”

“There’s a movie?”

“You are ridiculous,” Theo says pointing at Liam. “I lived with the dread doctor’s half my life and I’ve watched the movie and read the book.”

“Shut up, you didn’t even know what candy crush was, you don’t get to judge me,” Liam says recalling an argument they had had at the zoo while waiting for Nolan and the hunters.

“Because it’s stupid,” Theo shakes his sponge at Liam who scrunches his nose. “Who cares about swiping candy?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Pretty sure that’s the entire point of the game,” Theo quips, turning back to the car. The smell of blood is a little easier to handle now.

“I mean,” Liam sounds indignant, Theo wonders if his hands are on his hips, but doesn’t want to turn around to find out. “That that wasn’t the point of this argument!”

“Yeah, yeah, just hurry up and clean the blood out of the truck Liam, before the Sherriff or one of his deputies makes another surprise visit on behalf of the Beacon Hills populace.”

            It was late afternoon when the car had finally started to smell and look more like a truck and less like the scene of a graphic homicide. It smells like various cleaning astringents and air freshener, but that was a grand step up from the metallic scent. Both Theo and Liam are exhausted, they had spent literal hours on just the back seat. At one point, Liam has mused out loud that they both had very promising futures as cleaners. Neither of them were particularly thrilled at the prospect and the subject was quickly dropped in favor of the lamenting of various subjects they weren’t good at in school. Liam’s being chemistry, Theo’s being Spanish. 

“You hungry,” Liam asks as they climb into the truck. “There’s a dinner around the corner and I’m starving.”

Theo looks up in surprise, he’d assumed that Liam would demand for Theo to take him home as soon as they were done. Or at the very least to take him to Mason or Corey’s house.

“Come on, I’ll even pay,” Liam offers, taking Theo’s silence as a no. “I’m getting ready to gnaw my own arm off.”

“Okay,” Theo acquiesces, starting the car. “Let’s get food.”

For some reason, it reminds him of that moment in the elevator when he had agreed to fight with Liam; when they had agreed to fight with each other. He tries not to dwell on it as he pulls out onto the street. 


	3. Chapter Three: Liam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Theo get breakfast for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if you spot any mistakes let me know.

The diner’s mostly empty when they get there, there’s only two other patrons in addition to the three waitresses. Liam recognizes one of them as a student from school. She grins at them and waves them into a booth while she grabs a couple of menus.

“Hey guys,” She greets sidling up to the table, pushing a cascade of dark curls behind her ear. Her dark eyes watch Theo even as she hands Liam a menu. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Water,” Theo says without hesitation. He’s not paying any attention to the girl, Isabelle her name tag reads. Instead, he’s staring at the menu, eyes flickering across the page hungrily. Liam tilts his head, doesn’t look away until Theo looks up and meets his eyes, one brow raised and an amused smirk tugging at his lips. “Liam, are you going to tell her what you want to drink?”

“Oh,” Liam straightens up, eyes cutting up towards Isabelle who smiles a little forcedly at him. “Sorry, I’ll have a Pepsi.”

She nods and hurries to get their drinks.

Theo’s still staring at him, he looks like he’s on the verge of laughing. He usually looks like that though, when he doesn’t look like he’s on the verge of murdering someone anyway. 

“What,” Liam mutters, burying his face in his menu as a pretext for looking for something to order. He already knows what he wants though. He orders the same thing every time he comes here with his parents or Mason.

“I should be asking you that,” Theo says leaning back against the booth, arms laying along the top. “ _You_ were the one staring me down.”

“I wasn’t staring you down,” Liam argues. 

“Sure, you weren’t,” Theo agrees amicably, inclining his head. Liam wonders if sarcasm has a scent, hs sniffs surreptitiously at the air but doesn't catch anything except for greasy food, Theo's soap and a faint, coppery undertone of blood. He really needs to work on deciphering chemosignals at some point, it would definitely be handy.

"Does Sarcasm have a scent?"

Theo raises his brows judgmentally at Liam, "Sarcasm isn't an emotion, Dunbar."

"It comes from an emotion though," Liam counters.

"Yeah, but sarcasm itself isn't one," He hums thoughtfully head tilting to the side in consideration. "Contempt or irritation; those have a scent, but sarcasm doesn't always come from those emotions."

Theo drags his eyes over Liam, they look impossibly dark in the dimly lit diner. “Still having trouble with catching chemosignals?"

"No," Liam lies, knows that Theo can hear it in the quick tick of his heartbeat. "I was just curious about sarcasm."

"If you need help..." Theo starts and then trails off with a shake of his head. Liam’s pretty sure the grumpy chimera was about to offer him help. It was a strange thought, one Theo had probably realized was strange as well. There's an awkward few seconds of silence until the waitress reappears.

Isabelle sits their drinks carefully on the table, her gaze immediately going to Theo, “So, are guys ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes to look at the menus?”

“I’m ready when you are,” Theo gives her a playful smile. Liam watches as her cheeks darken.

“Okay,” She stutters, taking her notepad from her apron and the cheap Bic pen from behind her left ear. She scribbles in the corner of the pad and then poses the pen to write. She gives Theo a little nod for him to go ahead and place his order.

Liam glances from Isabelle back to Theo and frowns. Is he witnessing them flirt right now? The thought makes him want to cringe. Isabelle hadn’t been involved with the war as far as Liam knows, but surely, she knows Theo isn’t normal, doesn’t she? Liam glares down at the table in thought, _could she be the hunter?_ She’s the right age for the scent to match up. Maybe she’s trying to seduce Theo into divulging all their secrets… Except, they didn’t really have any secrets at this point did they? They barely even have a pack here. 

A sharp pain radiates through Liam's shin like he’s just been kicked in it.

“What the fuck," He curses.

“Are you going to order dumbass,” Theo asks voice dripping exasperation as he tilts his head towards the waiting waitress.

Liam leans down and rubs at his shin, “I’ll have the number four, extra bacon.”

“Got it,” Isabelle jots down in her notepad and hurries away. He can hear her muttering to herself about how weird he is. Liam thinks she _probably_ isn’t the hunter.

“Okay, what is your problem?”

“ _You_  kicking me in the shin, Asshole.”

Theo snorts, “Stop deflecting, what’s going on in that strange little head of yours?”

Liam glances around the restaurant to make sure no ones close enough to listen in. “I was wondering if Isabelle could have been the hunter, but it seems a little stupid now.”

He laughs, “Why would she be the hunter?”

“Because she likes you,” Liam stresses.

“And,” Theo drawls. “Someone would have to be a murdering psychopath to like me?”

Liam is just really putting his foot in his mouth today, “No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean,” Theo leans forward, eyes dark and expressionless.

“I don’t know, just forget about it.” Liam wipes at the condensation on the side of his glass before gulping down half of his soda and crunching on the ice.

“I’ll forget about it when you explain what the hell you meant,” Theo’s voice is flat.

“I mean, you’re kind of a jerk to everyone,” Liam grits out staring down at the table. He doesn’t want to fight in the middle of a restaurant. He knows that they’ll just end up exhausted and bloody and he’s already been both today. “It’s just surprising that other’s think you’re some charming high school heartthrob or something.”

“ _High school heartthrob_ ,” Theo snorts, running a hand through his hair. He looks annoyingly smug. “Are you from the 50’s?”

“You know what I mean.”

“You mean I’m a murdering psychopathic dick, but only you and your friends know,” Theo says full of uninhibited mirth. And, yeah, Liam does kind of mean that, but not in a completely bad way, at least, not anymore. “Did it ever occur to you that people think I’m attractive?”

“No.”

Theo laughs loudly, his head tilted back slightly. “I really enjoy your honesty, you know, makes my day.”

Liam ignores him in favor of fishing his phone from his pocket. He shoots a quick text to Mason. He hopes his friend won't take it weirdly; knows that Mason will anyway.

 **Sent 7:07** Weird question: Is Theo attractive?

 **Received: 7:07**  Liam, are you having an existential crisis???

 **Sent: 7:08** WTF No!

 **Sent: 7:08** Can you just answer the question?

 **Received: 7:10** So many questions dude. BUT Yes, he’s attractive.

 **Received: 7:11** Like ridiculously!

 **Received: 7:11** Corey agrees.

Liam rolls his eyes, he’s not sure he trusts Mason and Corey’s opinion. They had _both_ found Brett attractive. He looks up from his phone at Theo, whose eyes are riveted to his own phone. One finger swiping across the screen.

“Nope,” Theo says suddenly, startling Liam. “Still don’t see the point of this game, it’s completely ridiculous.”

Liam leans across the table, “You’re playing candy crush?”

He watches as Theo easily beats the level. The other boy has surprisingly nice hands; quick and sure. Liam _knows_ how dangerous they can be, and it’s almost laughable that they’re currently playing a game as colorful and lighthearted as candy crush. Liam looks up at Theo’s face, the chimera is concentrated on the game, brows furrowed, bottom lip pulled between his perfectly straight teeth. Liam tries to compare this Theo with the one they had sent to hell and is surprised by the differences. He sits back in his chair, maybe he can understand Mason and Corey’s opinion a little bit, “Huh.”

Theo glances up at him and then back at his game, “What now?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Liam tells him. “Here comes our food, stop being lame and put your phone away.”

 “If anyone here’s lame Liam, it’s you,” Theo smiles up at Isabelle as she places two hot plates of food down on the table. “Thanks, Isabelle.”

“Call me Izzy,” Isabelle says lightly. “And, let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, _Izzy_ ,” Theo amends.

She walks off before Liam can ask for Tabasco sauce to put on his eggs. He pokes at the fluffy yellow bits on his plate glumly.

“Stop pouting, if you needed something you should have asked for it while the waitress was still here,” Theo pushes the tiny pitcher of hot maple syrup towards him. Liam takes it carefully and pours it over his pancakes drenching them in sugary goodness.

“Hard to ask for something when she’s all heart eyes at you and not paying attention to me,” Liam harrumphs. He knows he probably sounds like a petulant little kid, but he can’t help it. He can’t eat his eggs without hot sauce. “She probably wouldn’t have even noticed if I asked for Tabasco.”

Theo rolls his eyes and stands up.

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Theo wrinkles his nose when he nods at Liam’s plate. “Eat your disgusting pancakes.”

“They’re not disgusting,” Liam mumbles, but Theo’s already walking away. “This is how you eat pancakes. It’s the proper way to eat pancakes. The American way…”

He’s already on his second pancake when Theo drops back into the booth across from him, producing a bottle of Tabasco sauce, “Stop whining now.”

“I wasn’t even whining,” Liam retorts in lieu of saying thanks, snatching the tabasco sauce from Theo's aloft hand.  

“I’m sorry, I meant wallowing in complete silence,” Theo replies blandly, cutting into his own dry pancakes. Liam dribbles the hot sauce on his eggs and asks curiously, “You don’t like syrup?”

“Don’t like sweet things,” Theo shrugs, taking a large bite of his pancake. He chews for a moment before saying, “I prefer salty or sour foods.”

Liam glances down at Theo’s glass of water. He watches a drop of condensation roll down the side of it before asking; “What about soda?”

The chimera shakes his head, “Can’t stand it.”

Liam thinks for a moment then expounds, “Cake, everybody loves cake!

“No, Donkey,” Theo chuckles around a slice of bacon. "I don't like cake."

Liam stares at him in shock, though he’s not sure if it’s because Theo doesn’t like cake or because he just made a _Shrek_ reference.

“You’ve seen Shrek!”

Theo looks a little judgmental as he takes a sip of his water.

 _That’s fair_ , Liam supposes. _Everyone’s seen Shrek, haven’t they?_

He waves his fork at Theo, “Back to the cake thing though, what do you eat instead? Like when you had birthday parties.”

Theo scrapes his fork against his plate, the sound makes the hair on Liam’s arms and neck stand at attention, goose flesh breaks out across his skin. There’s a pregnant pause like maybe Theo’s contemplating on if he wants to answer. He’s quiet long enough that Liam knows whatever he’s going to say is going to be truthful. He can see it in the line of Theo’s shoulders.

“My mom used to make Lemon bars for my birthday. They were so tart no one else could eat them but me. It’s all I’d eat for the next three days.”

There’s another long silence. Liam has no idea what to say without somehow fucking it up. Theo clears his throat and sits up straighter. Liam watches as his eyes shutter, witnesses the serious set of his lips loosen into something less somber. “I’m also a fan of pumpkin spice muffins.”

“Liar,” Liam says.

He may not be the perceptive one in the pack but even he can see through such an obvious attempt at a subject change. He lets it drop for now, following the forced lightness of the new subject because he kind of has a lot of feelings involving pumpkin spice and how it’s overly hyped. “No one honestly likes pumpkin spice. It’s not even a real spice!”

“You take that back,” Theo points a butter knife at him, a glob of butter sliding down the metal towards his hand. “It’s the spice of the Gods.”

“I thought you were an atheist.”

Which doesn’t make sense to Liam. How can you be an atheist when you’ve been to literal Hell? Unless it wasn’t hell? Liam’s pretty sure where ever Theo was that it wasn’t a pleasant place. He can still remember Theo’s terrified eyes when he brought him back. He remembers Theo’s panicked face in the hospital when he forgot where he was; when he thought he was _there_ , wherever  _there_ was.

Theo licks at the butter on his hand avoiding his eyes and utters, “Semantics.”

 

Mason and Corey are sitting on his front porch when Theo pulls up to the curb in front of his house. He had texted them as he and Theo left the restaurant, the sky overhead turning burgundy as the sun slowly started to disappear, to let them know he would be home soon.

He turns to Theo, intent on inviting him in to hang with them, taking to heart Argents advice on sticking together.

“Yeah, yeah, parting is such sweet sorrow, get out of my truck Dunbar, I’ve seen enough of you today,” Theo snarks.

Liam punches him in the face, feels Theo’s nose shift beneath his fist and knows he’s broken it. He tallies it as the fifth or sixth time he’s broken Theo’s nose. Liam tells himself he doesn’t feel bad at all when Theo grabs his face and groans, “What the fuck!”

“See you Monday, Asshole,” He hops out of the truck and slams the door smugly.

Theo flips him off when he checks over his shoulder to make sure Theo’s not about to claw his heart out through his back. The chimera was sneaky that way. Liam gives him a shit eating grin and bounds up the porch steps to Mason and Corey. 

“Dude,” Mason says looking down the street in the direction of Theo's disappearing tail lights. “Have you guys been together all day?”

“Yeah, it took fucking hours to get the blood out of his truck,” Liam groans just thinking about it. “There has to be a better way of removing blood, right?”

“I can ask my sister for some tips,” Corey offers with a nonchalant shrug leaning against the door frame. 

“Why would your sister…” Liam trails off, face burning because _wow_ that was a stupid question he was about to ask. “Oh my god, never mind!”

Liam quickly unlocks the door and leads his friends up the stairs to his room calling out a loud, "I'm home!" 

He throws himself onto his bed and sighs in relief as it cushions his tired body. Mason plops down beside him with an elongated, “So?”

“So, what," Liam asks. He doesn't like the look Mason is giving him right now. 

“So, are you having a gay crisis,” Corey asks falling into his desk chair and swiveling side to side. A little knowing grin is on both of his friends' faces and Liam is confused.

“Why would I be having a gay crisis,” Liam questions sitting up. “I’d need to be gay, or think I was gay to have a gay crisis wouldn’t I?"

“I’m having a hunter crisis and a someone wants to kill us, _again,_ crisis, but not a _gay crisis_ ,” Liam continues, stressing the words. 

Mason rolls his eyes and pulls his phone from his hoodie pocket, “Dude, this text has crisis written all over it.”

He shows Liam the series of texts that they had exchanged while Liam was at the diner, “Oh.”

“Oh?” Corey repeats.

“That’s not a gay crisis,” Liam says loudly, comprehension dawning on him. “I was curious because there was this waitress, Isabelle, who was flirting with Theo, and it was surprising. I just wanted to know from a general standpoint whether other people find him attractive.”

Yes,” Corey answers without hesitation, he's stopped swiveling. 

Mason nods vigorously, laughing all the while. “Definitely."

“I mean,” Corey shrugs. “He still kind of scares me a bit– “

“Me too,” Mason cuts in slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“-But it kind of adds to his appeal now. Like the bad boy, all the girls want in movies.”

Liam makes a face, “When’s the last time you guys had your eyes checked?”

Mason punches him lightly in the arm. “My eyesight is perfect, thank you and Corey's a chimera so his eyesight is perfect too.”

“I don’t know,” Liam laughs nudging Mason gently. “First Brett and now Theo, something's not quite right up here.”

Liam taps Mason's forehead, making him go crosseyed to see Liam's finger. Liam grins mischievously.

Mason pushes him off the bed in retaliation. Corey laughs when Liam’s claws extend in a panic and catch in Mason’s hood dragging the human down with him; both of them letting out startled yelps as they land in a painful heap on the floor. Mason pushes him off, scrunching his nose playfully, "Dude, you seriously need a shower."

"I know." Liam grins evilly and puts Mason in a headlock making him smell his underarm.

Mason yells for his boyfriend to help him, but Corey shakes his head stating: "No thanks. I can smell him from here. I'll miss you though, Mason. You were a good boyfriend."

Liam laughs so hard he releases Mason, who dives for the other side of the bed holding a pillow up in defense. Liam's not sure what good a pillow is in a fight with a werewolf. Mason's tricky enough though, that Liam doesn't want to find out. 

"Don't worry, I'm going to shower," Liam holds his arms up placatingly. "You can deal with your traitorous boyfriend abandoning you to the smelly werewolf."

"Um," Corey grins sheepishly at the pair of them and then disappears. 

"Cheater," Mason yells, throwing the pillow towards the chair. It misses by a long shot. He mutters something about getting involved with sports, but Liam's already jogging down the hall to the bathroom. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGH, I HAVE THE LITERAL HARDEST TIME KEEPING MY TENSES STRAIGHT.  
> Also,  
> I'm still trying to get a feel for writing in Liam's perspective.  
> Sorry if anything was too OOC. if it was let me know,  
> I try to keep as in character as possible while still allowing room for actual character growth.


	4. Chapter Four: Theo

The hospital is bustling with activity on Sunday night when Theo slips cautiously through the sliding front doors. He shakes the rain from his hair and straightens up from his hunched posture where he had been trying to protect the paper bag in his hands from getting completely soaked. He glances around the entrance trying to catch a glimpse of Ms. McCall. He spots her at the far end of the hall making her rounds; talking with patients and reassuring family members. Theo sucks in a quick breath and hurries to the nurse station while her attention is elsewhere. The last thing he needs is for Melissa McCall to catch him red-handed.

Theo snatches up a bright blue marker from a tray he passes and scribbles a name onto the slightly damp paper bag before dropping both items carefully on top of the desk. He makes sure the bag is perfectly visible to anyone that walks past. He peeks around the corner at Scott's mom. She’s down on her haunches talking to a little girl with plaited hair that’s crying by herself in the family waiting area. He watches them for a moment and then hurries from the hospital back out into the cool rain before she can spot him. The sky overhead is growing darker as night sets in behind the ominous thunderclouds rippling across the sky. He hopes it doesn’t hail tonight.

 

Monday dawns bright and entirely too early for someone who’s only had three, maybe four hours sleep max. The light of the sun is warm where it touches Theo’s face. It feels nice compared to the early morning chill that’s set into his bones. His muscles are stiff and cramping in places that had never had cause to cramp before he started sleeping in his truck. He stretches out as best he can and groans when several bones give a satisfying pop. He wants nothing more than to pull the blanket over his head and go back to sleep, but he can’t miss any more school if he wants to graduate this year. The last thing he wants is to be a senior again next year and sharing classes with Liam and his friends. The baby wolf pack would be even more insufferable than they already are.

Theo sits up slowly, turning his head side to side to relieve the tension that’s built up there overnight. His muscles should right themselves before the hour is up, but still, it’s irritating. He tugs his duffle bag out from under the seat and up into his lap, so he can dig through it for a clean set of clothes. He finds some, they’re wrinkled in places, but clean. He’ll have to make a trip to the laundry mat though, after school and the vet's clinic so that he can clean up since the doctor/emissary was still out of town.

Theo struggles out of his dirty clothes and into his clean set. He wonders, idly, how people manage to have sex in cars smaller than his truck when he has trouble just living in it by himself. He shakes the thought from his head, it’s not important and if he doesn’t leave soon he’ll be late for first period. Theo clambers over the middle console and into the driver’s seat. He’d left the key in the ignition last night, which was probably stupid, but he’d locked all his doors. He starts the truck and pulls out of the gravelly parking lot onto the road.

He makes it to school with plenty of time to spare, allowing him to find a parking spot and leisurely walk into the school where he is immediately accosted by an angry little beta wolf.

“Where the fuck have you been,” Liam growls tugging him down a more isolated hallway. Corey and Mason following along beside them, glancing around to make sure no one’s close enough to overhear their conversation. “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you since yesterday morning.”

“Phones dead, I broke my phone charger,” Theo shrugs Liam’s hands off. It’s not really a big deal to him. He has no one to text or call, no friends or family, and he doesn’t need to use it as an alarm. Not when the local police and the bright ass sun wake him up every day. Playing candy crush in the diner is the most use his phone has seen in over a month.

“Then buy a new one,” Liam grits, eyes flickering gold.

Theo rolls his eyes, “Okay, what is your problem today? It’s only seven thirty in the morning, what could possibly have pissed you off already?”

“YOU!”

Liam stomps off, leaving a confused Theo behind. Mason clears his throat awkwardly and then jogs after Liam. Corey watches them disappear around the corner quietly. When he realizes that Theo’s staring at him he scuffs his shoe nervously at the floor, “Uh, we thought the hunters got you.”

“And he’s angry they didn’t?” Theo leans back against the lockers trying to figure out what he’s done when he hadn’t even been around to do anything.

Corey’s frowning at him, “No, he’s angry that Principal Donahue doesn’t have a desktop computer.”

Theo is even more lost than before.“What do you mean?”

“We’re supposed to hack his computer to check the files,” Corey reminds him. “Problem is, there’s not a desktop computer to hack, just Mr. Donahue’s laptop…The one that he takes with him on his lunch break.

“Of course, he’s angry over something as small as that,” Theo grumbles. He pins Corey with a stare, “Do you have another plan?”

Corey shakes his head, “Not yet, Mason texted Lydia this morning. We’re waiting for her to respond.”

The bell overhead rings, signaling them to hurry to their first classes. Corey turns to go, pauses and turns back around.

“Here,” He says pulling something from his bag and brandishing it towards Theo. It’s a phone charger, slightly worn but still perfectly intact unlike Theo’s mangled heap out in his truck. Corey shuffles in place awkwardly when Theo just stares at it. “I have an extra one at home, you can have this one.”

Theo takes it slowly, he doesn’t say thanks. He doesn’t know how to, yet. Well, he doesn’t know how to say it and actually _mean_ it.

Corey gives him a strange little wave bye and then runs in the opposite direction for his AP English class. Theo looks down at the charger in his hand, his fingers clenching tightly around the cord. He wonders if this can be considered progress. He’s surprised to find himself hoping that it is.

The final bell rings, loud and long, just as Theo steps into his Spanish II class. His teacher is giving him the side eye.

“Aqui,” Theo says with a smarmy grin at Senora Torres-Rosamond.

“Si, Si.” She points at the remaining open desk towards the middle of the classroom. “Sientate.”

 

Theo is once again assaulted by an angry little beta wolf when he steps out of class. Liam clamping down on his sleeve and tugging him to the side. Mason’s on Theo’s other side informing him that they don’t even need a computer to check the files.

“Lydia says that all of the school files are tangible folders in a filing cabinet in Mr. Donahue’s office,” Mason’s grinning and holding up his phone to Theo’s face so that he can presumably read Lydia’s response, but all Theo see’s is a blur of black on a white screen because Mason doesn’t know how to hold still long enough.

“Okay,” Theo says slowly batting the human’s hands away from his face with a glare.

“So, we’re going to break into his office at lunch,” Liam asserts.

“Great,” Theo deadpans. At this rate he’s probably not going to make it to graduation with these people around him; making him drive back into hunter infested woods after getting almost shot to death and sneaking into the principal’s office to steal personal student files. He’s either going to be murdered or kicked out of school. If he plays his cards wrong enough it might even end up being both. “Can’t wait.”

“I admit, it’s not our greatest plan,” Mason nods understandingly. “But it’s what we have.”

“We’ve had worse plans,” Liam points out. “And they all went okay.”

“After going horribly wrong.” Neither of them listens to Theo.

“Just be ready when the lunch bell rings.”

“And meet us in the restroom on the first floor.”

 

Breaking into the principal’s office is surprisingly easy. Theo’s not sure if he wants to criticize the superintendent for laxness or thank him for making their job ten times easier. He’s leaning more towards the latter though.

“So, why do they have literal files in a filing cabinet,” Corey asks. He’s peeking over Liam’s shoulder into the open drawers. Liam’s staring intently at the files, skimming the names.

“Kira,” Mason says by way of explanation. He picks up several folders and reads over them quickly before putting them back. “She kept wiping out this whole grid and deleting everything saved in the system. The school thought it was a good idea to have hard copies, just in case. At least that’s what Lydia’s text said.”

Theo listens idly as he plucks several folders himself out of the filing cabinet. There are hundreds of files and he’s honestly not sure what he’s looking for. He’s glad he doesn’t have to do them all, or even half.

“She’s new,” Corey says holding up a folder.

Liam grins at him, “Great, put it in the pile.”

“We don’t have a pile,” Mason says. He elbows Liam in the side and nods at something in the filing cabinet. Liam glances at Theo quickly. Theo quirks a brow at him curiously but mostly ignores them. He thinks he might have found another new student file. Life would be much easier if they were separated into categories of new and continuing students instead of just all lumped together alphabetically by grade.

A snort of laughter draw’s Theo’s attention back to Liam and Mason. They’re hunched over a single folder.

“What,” Theo asks balefully, garnering their immediate attention.

“Your name,” Liam snickers looking up. “It’s Theodore?”

Theo squints at him, his eyes dropping down to the file is the beta’s hands. **_‘Raeken, T’_** written across the front of it. _That little shit._

“Like _Theodore Roosevelt,_ ” Liam continues, his lips are twitching. His eyes are flittering with evil amusement. Theo wants to remind him that he’s the reason there in the principal’s office right now. That Liam was the one who wanted to look for the files and that they weren’t here to play around. Unfortunately, he knows that won’t stop what’s about to come out of Liam’s mouth and evil deeds be damned he doesn’t deserve this. “Teddy.”

“No.”

“Oh, yes.” Liam nods grin growing exponentially.

“Call me Teddy again and I will kill you,” Theo threatens, dropping the folder he was holding on top of the ‘pile’.

“Painfully,” He adds for good measure.

“Come on Teddy, don’t be like that,” Liam cajoles.

Mason snorts out a laugh and immediately tries to play it off as a coughing fit. He clears his throat awkwardly when Theo turns his irate gaze upon him and takes Corey’s hand who promptly makes them both invisible. Theo and Liam watch as the office door slowly creaks open and then closed.

 “Smooth,” Theo mutters staring daggers at the door. He picks up the last folder in his stack to go through and glances at the pages. He’s pretty sure this person has been at this school since they were a freshman. He huffs and tosses it back into the filing cabinet. “Are you finished?”

“Finished a bit ago,” Liam shuffles his own stack of folders and carefully stuffs them back into their slots. “There’s surprisingly not many freshmen this year.”

They had broken down the stacks to go through by grades. Liam had gone through the freshmen folders. Mason through the sophomores, Corey had the juniors and Theo had skimmed over the seniors.

“This is it then?” Theo asks, pointing to their sad pile of suspects. A junior student named Anthony and a senior named Olivianna.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Liam looks over at the pile. He reads the names written in blocky letters. “What if it’s a freshman?”

“Then, you should die of embarrassment for letting them shoot you,” Theo quips dryly.

“Hey,” Liam chuffs indignantly. “You got shot too, _actually,_ you got shot more than me!”

“Because I was trying to save your little friends from dying.”

The doorknob to the office rattles, effectively cutting Liam off before he can argue back. A clear voice speaks outside of the door, “Boys, though I am thrilled by your school spirit, I think you should bring up your ideas to Coach Finstock seeing as he is the athletics director.”

Liam shoots Theo a look of panic.

“That’s great advice Mr. Donahue,” Corey’s voice carries loudly through the door. “We’ll get right on that!”

“Is there a reason your yelling young man?”

“He popped one of his ears drums in practice the other day.” Mason lies. “He’s been yelling all day, it’s terrible but the doctor says it should heal soon.”

Theo stuffs the two folders into the waistband of his pants and pulls his shirt over them. He grabs up all the other files and starts stuffing them where they belong, “Shit, hurry up and put all the folders back!”

“Then what?” Liam grabs a handful of the giant manila folders and helps Theo cram them into the cabinet. “There’s nowhere to hide and neither of us can fit out of those windows.”

Theo glances up at said windows. They’re ridiculously small and high up, not even Lydia could fit out of them.

“I have an idea,” Theo announces. It’s a horrible idea, but it is an idea and the more he thinks about it the more he thinks it might work enough to keep them both from getting kicked out of school for theft and whatever else this can be counted as. He hates the idea. Liam’s _definitely_ going to hate it.

“What is it?”

Theo shuts the cabinet, stares at it when he tells Liam. “You’re not going to like it.”

Why wouldn’t I like it?”

Theo shakes his head and takes a step closer to Liam. He gives the beta a stern look as he advances towards him.

“Don’t punch me.” Theo grunts shoving Liam roughly into the wall beside the filing cabinet, his hands running through Liam’s hair to muss it up. Liam let’s out a startled yelp when his back collides with the wall and he tries to bat Theo’s hand out of his hair, his face turning a bright red, “What the hell are you doing?”

Theo slides his hands down from Liam’s head to the beta’s waist, fingers splaying across his hips just beneath the werewolf’s shirt, hitching the material up ever so slightly to expose an expanse of smooth tanned skin.

“Shut up, Liam,” Theo whispers leaning in to kiss him just as the office door swings open. Their lips just barely brushing against one another. Liam’s lips are dry beneath his and surprisingly soft for someone made of such sharp edges.

“What in the – Boys, this is not the place or time to be involved in such activities,” Principal Donahue berates them, standing gobsmacked in the doorway.

 _Showtime,_ Thinks Theo.

He jerks away from Liam, clearing his throat like he's a typical embarrassed teenager as he tugs at his shirt to straighten it. Liam doesn’t move from the spot Theo had forced him in. He’s still pressed tightly against the wall, hands half raised and lips slightly parted. Theo turns away from Liam, gives his attention to the angry principal standing just inside the office entryway. Theo can see both Mason and Corey over Principal Donahue’s shoulder. He tries not to grimace at their twin expressions of wide-eyed surprise. He knows immediately that they’re going to be insufferable after this.

“Sorry, sir,” Theo coughs. From the corner of his eyes, Theo can see Liam open his mouth like he's going to offer assistance, but the only thing that comes out is a small puff of air as his throat clicks.

“You boys know PDA is expressly prohibited on Campus.”

“We weren’t exactly in public,” Liam says distractedly.

Theo closes his eyes. _Not helping, Liam._

“Mr. Dunbar, the fact that you and your boyfriend were making out in my office instead of the hallway or a classroom does not, in any way, make this situation better,” The principal chides exasperatedly. “Detention, for both of you for the next three Saturdays and I will be informing both of your guardians of your misconducts.”

It’s not an expulsion which is relieving, but Theo’s pretty sure he can lessen the repercussions a little bit more. He widens his eyes imploringly, makes sure he sounds nervous when he says; “Do, do you have too?”

Theo drops his gaze to the ground and fights the urge to roll his eyes as he gives a faux nervous scuff of his shoe against the linoleum. He glances up through his lashes and says quietly, “It’s just, my parents don’t know that I’m gay and they’re not exactly…”

Theo trails off, as though he doesn’t want or know how to finish the sentence. The principal clears his throat, he looks troubled. _Hook, Line, and sinker._ Theo feels the corners of his mouth strain as he fights off a grin of victory.

 Principal Donahue speaks slowly, “I suppose I can let the two of you off with just the detentions and a warning. I will be forced to speak with your guardians if I witness this behavior again, though, understood?”

“Yes sir,” Liam and Theo agree quickly.

“Thank you,” Theo adds, shooting the older man a grateful smile. It doesn’t hurt to pretend to be grateful to a person in a position of power.

The principal motions at his desk, “Now, if you boys will please excuse me, I have work I must be getting back to.”

“Of course,” Theo grasps Liam’s arm and tugs him out of the office into the hallway where Mason and Corey are waiting.

“And boys,” The principal calls out before closing the door. “If you ever need someone to speak with my door is always open, as is our new guidance counselors.”

Liam scoffs.

Theo subtly digs his nails into Liam’s arm and assures the principal they’re both fine loudly enough to cover Liam’s hiss of pain when Theo draws blood.

 

“That was really close,” Corey breathes into the silence of the library his head falling back against a bookshelf. He winces, “I thought we were all done for.”

“We almost were,” Liam agrees, falling to the floor across from Corey. “Next time we’ll plan it out better.”

Mason shakes his head vigorously. “No, no, no. We are never doing that again. I cannot get suspended or worse, expelled. My parents will have my head.”

Theo bites back a grin that threatens to show itself. He has a bad reputation to uphold after all. He turns his head to the side, still, just in case and catches Liam staring at him thoughtfully. Theo’s instantly on guard, “What?”

“You’re really good,” Liam answers quietly.

Theo frowns because he _wasn’t good_ in any sense of the word. In fact, just three months ago Scott and his entire pack, had insisted that Theo was downright evil. He couldn’t argue with them because homicidal rampages are pretty good examples of evil behavior. Then again, a good portion of Scott's pack and allies have had their own homicidal rampages, including one other member of the present party.

“At kissing?” Mason asks eyes wide and more than a little intrigued as he glances between Theo and Liam. Corey chokes beside him and grabs at Mason’s hand presumably to stop his boyfriend from speaking, but it was too late. Theo feel’s the muscles in his body freeze up. _Oh, right_ that had happened. He’s been steadfastly ignoring it and doing a damn excellent job of it so far in the fifteen minutes since it had happened.

“What!” Liam jerks his head around to face Mason. Embarrassment rolling off him in waves so thick Theo might literally choke on it. “No, Mason, just no!”

Mason raises both arms in surrender smiling sheepishly.

Theo decides to just roll with it. If Liam was going to punch him he would have done it by now. Theo shoots the embarrassed wolf a cocky grin as he leans back against a bookshelf, crossing his arms over his chest. “You don’t have to deny it Liam, think of this as a safe space.”

“Any place you are is not a safe space,” Liam growls. “And I meant lying! You’re good at lying!”

Corey motions for Liam to lower his voice.

“Wasn’t completely a lie,” Theo lifts his shoulders. “I’m not opposed to men and my parents really _don’t_ know, and they really _were_ …”

“Intolerant,” Corey supplies after a beat. There’s an understanding look in the little Chimera’s eyes. Theo wonders what his parents think.

Theo nods, swallowing dryly. “Yeah, _intolerant_.”

“Still,” Liam says. “I’m glad you’re on our side now, you manipulative asshole.”

“Me too,” Corey and Mason mutter. Corey gives him a hesitant smile.

Theo wants to agree, but he can’t get his mouth to comply. So instead he just smirks and directs the attention back to their mission by pulling the folders out from under his shirt and dropping them onto the carpeted floor between them.

“What do we do with these now?”

 

Theo didn’t think the Mini Pack could come up with any more bad ideas in one day. Apparently, they lived to prove him wrong though.

“You want to kidnap them,” Theo repeats.

“Not real kidnapping, just…”

“Just what,” Theo asks incredulously. “You want to borrow them for a few hours and then hand them back to their parents.”

“When you put it like that it sounds like a bad idea.”

“Because it is one.”

“I’m agreeing with Theo again,” Mason cuts in. He’s reading over both files carefully like it’ll give their secrets if he stares at the words hard enough. “Remember when Scott kidnapped you?”

Liam deflates, “What else can we do?”

“We can just…Stalk them a little,” Corey offers. “I have two classes with Anthony.”

“Yeah, I have a class with him too.” Mason nods. “We can keep an eye on him here at school, see if he does anything sketchy.”

“I only have one class with Olivianna,” Theo states. The class is only fifty-five minutes long, he’s not sure how he’s supposed to deduce whether she’s the hunter in that short of an amount of time.

“Then you’ll have to get friendly with her at lunch,” Liam shrugs. “You’re good at that apparently. People find you attractive remember?”

Theo really should have left Beacon Hills when he had the chance.


	5. Chapter Five: Liam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter took so long, Liam wasn't cooperating with me.  
> Also, I can't for the life of me remember what grade Nolan is in, so I made him a sophomore.

“Should we have Nolan help us,” Corey asks Liam as they change into their lacrosse gear. Liam glances over at said human. He’s changing quietly, eyes unfocused. He’s been quiet and alone since the war ended – Since Gabe died.

“He was on our side at the end and he looks…” Corey trails off as they both stare at the sophomore boy. Corey motions towards Nolan, a subtle wave of his hand. “Well, he looks like _that.”_

Liam narrows his eyes at Nolan, but the human doesn’t even notice as he trudges slowly out the door and onto the field. “I don’t know, do you think that’s a good idea?”

Corey shrugs, “It’s an extra set of eyes on our side and… And maybe it’ll help him too.”

“We should talk to Mason first,” Liam says hesitantly. Nolan was on the wrong side at the beginning of the war, even if he did switch teams before the bigger battles started. It should be a pack discussion on whether the human was allowed to be privy to pack business.

“And Theo?”

Liam shuts his locker and turns to Corey frowning. “Why would we talk to Theo about it?”

Corey shuffles awkwardly in place not looking at Liam. He fiddles with a stray string on his Lacrosse jersey. “I just thought, what with the kissing and everything – “

Liam throws a hand over Corey’s mouth effectively cutting him off from finishing whatever it was he was about to say. “No, no, no. Forget about that! That wasn’t kissing, that was _nothing!_ ”

“ _Absolutely, nothing_ ,” Liam emphasizes.

Corey mumbles against his hand unintelligibly, his brows raising and lowering, trying to convey his message to Liam.

 Liam removes his hand, wipes off the stray saliva on Corey’s jersey.“What?”

“It didn’t look like nothing,” Corey says again shutting his own locker. He lowers his voice. “It looked pretty hot and heavy from where Mason and I were standing.”

Liam is going to kill Theo. He promised not to bring up Hell or send Theo straight back to hell, but he could still kill him, right? Scott wouldn’t mind, and Stiles would probably make him a ‘World’s Best Beta’ T-shirt for it. Liam would even wear it. Every. Single. Day.

“Well, it wasn’t,” Liam informs Corey. “I told you, you and Mason need your eyes checked.”

Liam grabs his Lacrosse stick and jogs out of the locker room just as coach bursts in yelling, “Come on you bunch of lily pads, get your asses to the field before I CUT YOU FROM THE TEAM!”

 

There are three texts on Liam’s phone when he gets out of the shower later that night. The first two are from Mason and the third one is, surprisingly, from Theo. It’s only two words, but it makes Liam huff in amusement anyway.

 **Received: 8:17** Happy now

Liam debates whether he should reply for several minutes. He even starts to tap out a couple words before ultimately erasing them. Instead, he thumbs open Mason’s text’s and immediately regrets it.

 **Received: 8:14** So, we have a pop quiz in history tomorrow.

 **Received: 8:15** Also, are you and Theo secretly dating??! Because WTF?!?!?

He thinks, briefly, about ignoring these texts too, but he knows Mason will call him out on it first thing tomorrow morning. He flops back exhaustedly on his bed and groans. He tries to think about what his life was like before werewolves and chimeras, it’s surprisingly hard to picture. In the end, he decides to just call Mason instead of texting him back. It’s the easiest course of action and most likely the quickest.

 “I’m not dating Theo,” Liam states as soon as Mason answers.

“Oh, thank god,” Mason breathes into the phone. “Dude, I have been losing my mind all day.”

Mason takes a deep breath.

“I mean, I would try to be a supportive friend, but dude, he’s Theo! He like, tried to kill us all!” Mason babbles. “And yeah, I mean there was that whole helping us fight the ghost riders, and the hunters, and the Anuk ite –there was also that whole trying to take my pain thing –but still. _Theo!”_

“I’m gonna be honest,” Liam admits dryly, rubbing his face with his other hand. “I caught maybe four words of whatever you just said.”

“What about that kiss?”

“That wasn’t a kiss,” Liam says for what feels like the hundredth time today even though, realistically, it’s only the second. He covers his eyes like it’ll help him out of this conversation – It doesn’t. “It was just a ploy, Mason. Theo’s a manipulative bastard and for once it actually worked out in our favor, _that’s all.”_

“So, it was all just a show for Mr. Donahue?”

“Yes,” Liam breathes, thankful that Mason understood.

“I don’t know if I’m disappointed or relieved,” Mason murmurs to himself.

Liam rolls his eyes, he’s glad Mason can’t see the small upwards pull of his lips. He would have misinterpreted it.

“Goodbye, Mason.”

“Wait, Liam ~~~~did you like–“

Liam hangs up on his friend’s protests. Mason will probably just ambush him tomorrow at school with more questions anyway. He realizes after he’s already tossed the phone onto his nightstand that he should have mentioned the whole ‘Nolan Idea’ to Mason.

“I’ll do it tomorrow,” Liam tells himself, smushing his face into his pillow and closing his eyes. He’s just about to doze off when there a sharp rap at his door. His mother’s voice carrying through the thick wood. “Liam?”

 “Yeah, come in mom.” He rolls to his side as the door swings open, so he can see her.

His mother wrinkles her nose. Her dark blue eyes gazing around his room. “Do you ever clean up in here?”

Liam pushes himself upright, swinging his feet to the floor and looks around. There are clothes strewn haphazardly about the room and empty coke cans lined up on his desk beside his computer. He honestly has no idea how long they’ve been there. “Uh, I’ve been busy?”

She shakes her head, “Well, you can be busy tomorrow cleaning your room.”

Liam takes another glance around his room and makes a face. She’s right. “Okay, I’ll clean it tomorrow after school.”

“Good.” His mom smiles at him fondly, “Now, can you do your super forgetful mother a huge favor?””

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I forgot to buy milk earlier and we’ve just run out of real butter, can you run down to the store and pick some up.” She waves a list at him. “And a few other things, I have three cakes in the oven and I still have to bake four more for the Lawrence party tomorrow.”

“Does this mean I get to take your car?”

She squints at him, mouth a firm line before nodding, “Yes.”

“Yes!”

His mom gives him a stern look as she holds out her keys, “There and straight back, young man.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He salutes taking the proffered money and keys to the car. He shoots her a grin and darts for the door.

“Try not to damage my car!”

“No promises,” He yells over his shoulder, her light laughter follows him out the front door.

 

He’s trying to remember which brand of milk his mother buys for her cakes. He knows the carton is blue, but there are three other brands with blue cartons. Liam reaches for his phone, but his back pocket is empty. Confused, he pats at all his other pockets, aside from the car keys and his wallet there’s nothing in them.

“Shit,” He whispers frowning at the milk. He’d tossed it on his nightstand and completely forgot to grab it before leaving the house.

“What did the milk do to you?”

Liam startles, fumbling the carton in his hand as he turns to face who spoke. It’s Isabelle, from the diner.

“What, nothing,” Liam says quickly, face heating with embarrassment as she reaches past him to grab a similar carton of milk and put it in her basket.

“Then what’s with the death glare?” She asks repositioning the basket hanging off her arm.

Liam grabs put his own carton of milk into his shopping cart and grabs two more of the same brand, “Nothing, I just realized I forgot my phone at home.”

“Oh, bummer,” Isabelle says lightly. “I always double check I have my phone, you know, in case something bad happens while I’m out.”

Liam nods, “Yeah, I guess I was just in a rush.”

“Well,” She shuffles her basket to her other arm and smiles at him. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

“You too,” He tells her as she walks off. He doesn’t know how long he stood debating the varieties of milk, but he knows he’s been gone long enough to warrant a phone call from his mother. He also knows that him not answering will worry her so he tries to rush around the store and gather the other things on her list as quickly as he can while moving at a human speed.

 

Liam’s unloading the shopping cart when he spots Theo’s truck; its parked across the street at the Clean Bean laundromat. It’s a shitty little building, cheap, but reliable. Liam grabs the last bag from the shopping cart and shut the door to his mother’s SUV. He jogs across the street towards the laundromat. It’s mostly made up of glass windows; covered in chipping paint and advertisements. He peeks in through the window.

Theo is sitting atop one of the washers, head leaned back against the wall and eyes closed. There’s a phone sitting in his lap plugged into the outlet beside him. Liam wishes he had his own phone, wants to snap a pic and send it to the chimera to fuck with him. He snorts at the thought of Theo waking up to a picture of himself. Stepping away from the window he stumbles over a crumbling pylon and falls heavily against Theo’s truck. Liam sucks in a sharp breath and holds it – Waits for the car alarm to start blaring – But it doesn’t make a sound.

Liam pushes himself away from the truck and frowns. _Does Theo not lock his doors?_

He tugs at the driver’s door, makes a displeased noise in the back of his throat when it swings open. It’s dangerous to be so lax when there are hunters with an agenda running around Beacon Hills. Liam bites his lip when he remembers again that he left his phone at home. Everyone has their forgetful moments.

The bag dangling from his wrist knocks into the door when Liam reaches out to close it. He pauses, pulls the bag up to his face and stares in at the contents. There’s nothing in the bag for his mother; it’s just a few items he grabbed for himself to snack on after school. He digs out the box of gummy fruit snacks and slices it open with a claw. Fishing out two small bags from the box, he tosses them onto the driver’s seat, hits the lock button and closes the door as quietly as he can while still making sure it’s completely shut. He nods at nothing in particular, maybe at himself, and hurries back across the street to where his mom’s car is sitting in the grocery store parking lot. Liam wonders if the surprise snacks will startle Theo into locking his truck from now on.

 

He's heading home when he notices the car behind him. It’s at a reasonable distance, but the last three turns Liam has made have been copied. It could just be a coincidence, but Liam stopped believing in those ever since he got bitten by a werewolf and made friends with a pack of assorted supernatural creatures. He doesn’t know what to do, doesn’t want to drive home and lead these hunters to his house where his family is if they don’t already know where he lives. Liam curses himself for being stupid enough to forget his phone and presses down a little more on the gas pedal and passes his turn off to go home. The car behind him speeds up just enough to keep up but stays far enough away to look casual.

Liam glares at the bright headlights reflected in his rearview mirror. His mom is going to kill him. He presses down harder on the gas; guns it through a red light. The car behind him follows, no longer trying to keep up its false pretenses. Liam screeches around a corner; hopes he’s not fucking up the tires.

Lights flicker on behind him when he makes another sharp turn onto Maple Street. A siren wails loudly as a cop car pulls onto the road behind him.

“Fuck,” Liam whispers. His mom is definitely going to kill him if the hunters -or this cop- doesn’t do it first. Liam slows down the car and pulls over warily, remembering in flashes how teachers and officers, and hospital staff had been on the side of the hunters. How they had helped to hunt down his friends and others like them. He grips the steering wheel tightly and waits with bated breath as the door to the patrol car opens.

His head thumps against the steering wheel in relief as he sighs out, “Oh thank fuck.”

“Liam?” Parrish says in surprise, flashing a light into his face.

“Hey,” Liam croaks smiling awkwardly. “Um, there a problem officer?”

“You were going 72 in a 25, Liam.”

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Liam rubs the back of his neck. “I can explain.”

Parrish gives him a hard look, then glances up and down the empty street. “Were you being followed?”

Liam gaps at him. “What, how did you –

“Sherriff Stilinski told me that you and the others ran into some hunters,” Parrish explains, still staring down the road, eyes narrowed. “He’s been sending me out on patrol every night, just in case.”

“I’m sorry for speeding,” Liam says quietly. “I didn’t know what else to do, I didn’t want to lead them back to my house. My parents still don’t know about the whole” – Liam waves a hand around. – “Me being a werewolf thing and I just don’t want to get them mixed up in my problems.”

“Not going home was a smart move, we don’t know what these hunters are capable of,” Parrish amends. “I’ll follow you home, patrol around the neighborhood for any strange behavior or suspicious characters.”

“Thanks,” Liam breathes.

He clears his throat, “Um, can you maybe not let my mother see you, though. Also, you’re not going to give me a speeding ticket, right?”

Parrish quirks a brow, “You were exceeding the speed limit by 47 miles per hour.”

“In the name of justice?”

“Justice would be giving you a speeding ticket.”

“Please, don’t” Liam pleads. “My mom already doesn’t trust me with her car as it is!”

Parrish lets out a put-upon sigh but smiles good-naturedly. “I’m letting you off the hook just this once, if I catch you speeding again, I’ll have to give you a ticket. Next time pull off into a well-lit and populated area and call for help.”

“I forgot my cell phone,” Liam admits reluctantly.

The deputy shakes his head, “Alright, start your car, I’ll follow you home” – He gives Liam a pointed look. – “And try to maintain the speed limit.”

 

Liam’s simultaneously thanking Parrish for following him home and trying to get rid of him when he hears the front door open.

“Liam Dunbar, what did you do,” He hears his mother huff under her breath as she strolls out the door towards him.

“Good evening officer,” She greets sweetly, but she’s eyeing Liam suspiciously. “Can I help you with anything?”

Liam shoots Parrish a pleading look as subtly as he can.

“Evening, Ma’am,” Parrish greets back charmingly. “No need for any assistance, I was just having a chat with Liam.”

“Oh,” His mother sounds surprised. “You know one another?”

“Yes, Ma’am, we’ve run into each other at the station a few times.”

“The police station,” She turns to star at Liam. “What were you doing at the police station?”

“Stiles' dad is the Sheriff, remember?” Liam explains quickly. “I went with Stiles and Scott to drop off dinner sometimes, that’s all.”

Parrish looks on in amusement. After a moment of watching Liam getting the death stare from his mom he offers, “Liam’s a good kid. You and your husband have done a great job raising him.”

“That’s kind of you to say, officer…” She trails off inquiringly.

“Parrish,” Parrish holds out his hand to shake Liam’s mom's hand. “Jordan Parrish.”

A call comes over the radio, things that make zero sense to Liam but would probably be child’s play for Stiles. Parrish grins at the pair of them. “Well, duty calls, but it was nice meeting you. Stay safe!”

 

The smell of cakes permeates the entire house as Liam wearily makes his way up to his room. Today has been the longest Monday of his life. All he wants to do is fall face first into his bed and sleep. He pushes open he bedroom door and shuts it behind him as he slowly toes off his shoes and shrugs his shirt off over his head. He’s fumbling with his belt when his phone buzzes loudly against the wooden top of his nightstand. He frees himself from his belt and peels off his pants, not bothering with finding any pajama bottoms as he crawls into bed and snatches up his phone. It’s a text from Theo.

 **Received: 10:37** What the fuck, Liam?

He laughs quietly, tries to picture Theo’s face when he caught Liam’s scent around his truck and found the snacks on his seat. He wonders, idly, if Theo ate the snacks or threw them away. It’s not like Liam could have poisoned them without Theo knowing. Personally, Liam doesn’t know anyone who would throw away a good package of gummy fruit snacks. He decides, albeit a little deliriously, that Theo is truly evil incarnate if he didn’t eat them.

Liam falls asleep thinking of what to text back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter came across superficial sounding.
> 
> Also, if something doesn't make sense feel free to ask for clarification.


	6. Chapter Six: Theo

The loud buzz of the dryer announcing its spin cycle is over startles Theo awake, his head jerking back, smacking into the wall. He mumbles curses at the dryer as he slides down from the washer. His clothes are warm and smell faintly of soap when he gathers them up into his arms and drops them onto the folding table. He pulls his duffle bag out of the pile of fresh clothes, it smells just as nice now. He shakes it open, lays it on the table and sleepily begins to fold his laundry and stuff it inside of his bag.

The air is crisp and cool for a September in California when Theo shoulders open the door to the Clean Bean laundromat, hands full of folded blankets and his stuffed duffle bag. He balances everything carefully in his arms as he reaches out and tugs on the door to the backseat of his truck. Theo frowns when it doesn’t open and tugs on it again. He hadn’t locked his doors, had he?

Theo shuffles his belongings around enough to slip his hand into the pocket of his hoodie. He hits the button to unlock his doors and listens when all the locks flick up. He pulls open the back passenger door. He’s stuffing his duffle bag under the seat, half leaning into the truck when he smells Liam. It’s faint, but there’s no mistaking that the scent belongs to the baby wolf.

Theo glances over his shoulder, half expecting to see the angry little beta wolf standing behind him or get punched in the face for earlier today. There’s no one in the parking lot but him. Shaking his head at himself Theo shuts the back door and pulls open the drivers. There are two small packages of gummy fruit snacks sitting innocently on the driver’s seat. The faint traces of Liam’s scent linger on them incriminatingly. Theo pulls himself up into the truck, snacks clutched in one hand, the other resting on the steering wheel. Placing the fruit snacks onto the seat beside him, he pulls out his phone.

 _Why?_ He types out. Erases it. Types it out again and erases it again. He doesn’t understand the meaning behind Liam’s weird little gift, but he knows there is one.

 _What the fuck, Liam?_ He types out and stares at it for several seconds. It encompasses what he’s feeling and thinking perfectly. He hits send before he can talk himself out of it and waits several moments for a reply, but there isn’t one. Theo huffs in annoyance, tosses his phone onto the seat beside him -beside the snacks -and starts his truck. He leaves it in park, lets it idle.

Theo glances at the snacks from the corner of his eye, let’s out another little huff and grabs up one of the small packages. _Food is food,_ He tells himself ripping it open. And he likes this particular brand of fruit snacks anyway; they don’t add sugar to their gummies. Theo picks around all the lemon gummies, saving them for last. He’s not adverse to the other flavors, except maybe strawberry, but in his opinion, the lemon-flavored fruit snacks are the best tasting ones. He chews them slowly. The tiny gnawing hunger in his stomach dissipates ever so slightly.

 

Deaton’s clinic is dark and quiet when Theo unlocks the door and steps inside, backpack slung over his shoulder. The smell of strange herbs and cleaning astringents hits him in the face like it does every time he visits the little animal hospital. The stench makes his nose burn so he breathes slowly through his mouth. He can taste it at the back of his throat, but it’s less intrusive, manageable.

Deftly, Theo flicks the light switch on the wall. One by one the halogen lights flicker on with little surges of electricity. The sound never fails to dredge up memories of his time with the Dread Doctors -Never fails to make his heart stutter in his chest as fear licks up his spine like fire. It’s quick though, the feeling there one minutes and gone the next. He’s not a good person, but he is rational. He knows the Dread Doctors are gone, knows the sound is just the lights turning on, but every now and then the rational part of his brain loses out to the part that’s terrified.

Theo shakes it off, turns to a small adjoining room and pulls open the door. The room is small -the approximate size of a walk-in closet -with a drain in the center of the floor and several hoses coming out of the wall. It’s used to wash off strays brought in by animal control. It smells mostly like harsh soap and wet dog.

Shrugging off the backpack to pull out his own bathing soaps Theo tries not to think about how this is what his life has come to; sleeping in his truck and taking secret showers at an animal clinic. He slips off his clothes, folds them neatly, steps into the little closet-shower, and turns on the water.

 

“Mr. Raeken, what a pleasure to see you again.”

Theo’s claws are instantly out, his eyes glowing threateningly when he steps out of the shower room and back into the main operating room.

Dr. Deaton is standing near the metal table, hands clasped behind him.

“You’re back,” Theo says dimly.

“Yes, it would appear that I am,” Dr. Deaton inclines his head. “I trust all is well?”

Theo feels awkward standing there, towel dangling around his shoulders. _Could be worse_ , he thinks. _I could be naked._ Theo sucks in a quiet breath and changes his stance; leaning his weight back and slightly to the side, giving off a distinct feeling of cool disinterest. “Is it ever well in Beacon Hills?”

“Though I would very much like to say ‘yes’, I will, unfortunately, have to say ‘no’. Has a new threat arisen?”

Theo shrugs, “Just a few hunters, nothing that can’t be handled.”

“I see.”

Theo cocks his head, “Where have you been?”

“Around,” Dr. Deaton says lightly.

The chimera can understand why everyone’s cautious around this man. Dr. Deaton gives off an all-knowing vibe and yet remains entirely secretive. It’s a trait Theo begrudgingly respects.

“That’s illuminating,” Theo intones dryly as he stands there, having some strange stare off. If the veterinarian isn’t going to bring up why Theo is in his clinic, then neither is Theo. He snatches up his backpack from where it’s leaning against the wall next to the door of the shower room and heads for the exit.

“Would you like work?”

Theo pauses, turns an assessing look at the vet. He feels like he’s missed a part of the conversation. Though, from what Theo’s gathered, that’s a common feeling around Dr.  Alan Deaton.

“What?” Theo grips the doorknob tightly.

“I’m offering you a job, Mr. Raeken,” Deaton answers serenely, his hands are still clasped behind him.“Part-time and I must warn you that the pay is atrocious, but money is still money and you seem like you need it.”

“I don’t need your pity,” Theo replies, tone surly and eyes narrowing.

“I did not offer from a place of pity.” The vet's voice was completely unperturbed. “It’s a symbiotic proposition. I no longer have an assistant and you can use the money. A win-win, if you will. That is all.”

Theo grits his teeth in thought. He _can_ use the money. Gas isn’t exactly cheap and sooner or later he’s going to run out of what little cash he has saved away. Especially, since he buys Melissa dinner every Sunday and Thursday night, unbeknownst to the nurse.

“Okay,” Theo says slowly.

Dr. Deaton nods, “Good, you can start tomorrow after school. We’ll discuss the details of your job and pay then as well.”

The vet inclines his head at the door, “Good night, Mr. Raeken.”

“Yeah,” Theo murmurs, twisting the knob behind him and backing out of the clinic. “Night.”

 

Theo’s enjoying his lunch, as much as one _can_ enjoy a free school lunch when Liam and his pack plop down at Theo’s table. Theo pauses, a bottle of water raised halfway to his mouth and narrows his eyes at the trio. “What are you doing?”

“We’re sitting,” Mason says pulling a notebook and pen out of his backpack.

“Why are you over here,” Liam asks, tray clacking loudly against the table.

“I always sit here. The better question is why are the three of you over here” –Theo points at where they usually sit. – “And not over there.”

Mason opens his notebook and points at several small paragraphs scribbled in black ink. “We’re sharing intel.”

Theo snatches the notebook, ignoring Mason’s protests and reads over the page. He drops it back on the table when he’s done and scoffs, “That’s supposed to be Intel?”

Mason jerks the notebook back across the table and up against his chest, looking all kinds of insulted. “It’s more than you have.”

“If you have anything at all,” Liam quips. “You’re _supposed_ to be talking to Olivianna during lunch and yet, here you are not talking to her.”

Theo glances at where the girl is sitting at a table with her friends on the far side of the cafeteria. He watches as she bows her head in laughter at something her friend says. He’d been idly listening in to her conversation before the others had sat down and started distracting him. There was nothing of interest in what she had been saying though, nothing significant that he could use for his benefit in a conversation with her. Not yet anyway.

“I will.” Theo polishes his apple against his shirt. “After I find an in.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, little wolf, that I’ll do my job when I know I’ll succeed at it.”

“That’s _actually_ pretty smart,” Corey nods his head slowly. “Manipulative, but smart.”

“Yes, it is and now that we’ve shared, the three of you can leave.” Theo bites into his apple and grins sardonically at the juniors sitting across from him.

Liam nudges him in the shin with his foot. “Don’t be a dick, we have more to talk about.”

The little werewolf shoots a mulish look at Corey who smiles awkwardly from the other side of Mason.

“We do?” Mason asks before Theo can.

“Yeah, about Nolan,” Corey says stealing a few fries from his boyfriend’s plate.

“Why are we discussing Nolan.”

 Mason smacks at Corey’s thieving hands, scoots his tray closer to Liam.

“And why do you have to discuss it over here, instead of over there,” Theo tacks on.

“Because you deserve to have an opinion,” Corey tells Theo, but he’s looking pointedly at Liam. Theo wonders if they argued about this before sitting down.

“Does he though?” Mason mumbles quietly.         

“He does,” Corey asserts. “Theo’s _helping_ us, he should have a say.”

“ _About?_ ”

“Corey thinks we should invite Nolan into our inner circle,” Liam tells them, he's eyeing Mason’s dwindling pile of fries. Theo watches him steal one when Mason glances over at Corey to ask, “Why?”

“I think it would be good for both Nolan and us if he was on our side,” Corey gives him a conciliatory smile.

Theo glances over at where Nolan is sitting by himself. His lunch tray is pushed across the table, untouched, and he’s staring off into space. It’s a pitiful picture, Theo almost feels bad for the kid. _Almost._

Theo shrugs, “He does look like a kicked puppy.”

“You would know,” Liam quips.

“The only puppy I’ve ever kicked, Liam, is you,” Theo says caustically.

“Guys, come on,” Corey groans. “Take this seriously.”

There’s a beat of silence. Liam exhales loudly, “Does that mean you want him on our side?”

Theo turns to him, smirks, “I thought we weren’t on the same side, Liam.”

The werewolf rolls his eyes, “Do you have to make everything difficult?”

“Yes.”

Liam scowls at him. Theo takes another large bite of his apple in victory.

Corey taps his fingers on the table. “Does this mean we’re inviting Nolan or not?”

Mason hums. “I guess we are.”

“So, you don’t mind either?”

“I’d rather have more people with us than against us.”

Theo silently agrees, he’d made a similar argument before when he was locked behind bars. Though that was more a bid to be released than anything else.

“We can catch him after school and talk to him, then”

“I can’t,” Theo says in unison with Liam.

Mason and Corey share a fleeting look, one that Theo immediately doesn’t like. It’s Corey that asks; “Why not?”

“None of your business,” Theo huffs and focuses on keeping his scent from smelling embarrassed. He doesn’t want any of them to know about the job offer from Deaton, doesn’t want any of them to know anything.

“I have to clean my room,” Liam sighs abjectly.

Mason looks at the pair of them dubiously, “Right.”

“What?” Liam frowns in confusion. “I promised my mom I’d do it after school since we don’t have practice today.”

“Mason and I can do it unless you both want to be there too,” Corey offers earnestly.

“We should all do it together,” Liam nods. “A united front, right?”

A sex joke slips around Theo’s mouth, but he holds it in. _They’re not friends_ , he reminds himself. They’re not pack, they’re barely even allies. Theo saw to that, himself.

“Is that it then?” Mason glances around the table. “Any more news to share?”

“Um,” Liam runs a hand through his hair, agitatedly. His scent taking on a light swirl of anger.  “I was followed last night, by hunters.”

The table is suddenly very quiet until Mason chokes out a, “What?”

Theo had gone still at Liam’s admission. “After you left the fruit snacks in my truck?”

Corey mouths the words; ‘Fruit Snacks’, eyebrows lowering in confusion.

Liam’s scent abruptly changes to embarrassment, expression turning sheepish. His voice is low when he speaks; like he’s hoping only Theo will hear him. “Yeah, after that.”

“Which you did, _why_ exactly?” Theo can’t help but ask. Liam had never texted him back to explain himself and Theo had been curious about the reasoning since he found the innocuous little gummies.

“Because you left your truck unlocked!” That explained literally nothing.

“So, you left fruit snacks in my truck to, what, exactly?” Theo scoffs. “Put me in my place?”

“As a reminder, that if I can leave things in your car, so can the hunters,” Liam growls pushing himself up from the table to leave.

Theo blinks in surprise. He hadn’t thought of that at all. He swipes out with his foot before Liam can stalk off like an angry house cat and catches the beta behind his knee, knocking the younger boy back into his seat with a startled yelp.

“Hold on, Grumpy wolf,” Theo points at him. “Tell us what happened with the hunters.”

Liam crosses his arms over his chest and sneers, “No.”

Mason clears his throat, “It would be helpful if we knew what happened, Liam.”

Corey nods in solidarity with his boyfriend.

Liam sends a look of betrayal at his friends and after a lingering moment of stubbornness, he breaks. “Fine.”

 

“Dude,” Mason says after Liam regals them with his tale. “Why didn’t you text or call anyone?”

Liam stares down at the table, mumbles unintelligibly at the false wood.

“What was that?” Theo asks, even though he had heard perfectly well.

Liam lifts his head and glares straight at Theo. A ring of gold encircles the human blue of his eyes. “I said I forgot my cell phone at home!”

“Oh,” Theo drawls, smiling unpleasantly. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

Theo drops his gaze down to the table where Liam’s nails are digging into the wood beside his tray of forgotten food. Theo’s smile widens, but he doesn’t mention the lack of control. “Did you see anyone else last night, I mean, other than when you were creepily peeking in at me?”

“I wasn’t creepily peeking at you!”

“To-may-to, to-mah-to.” Theo crosses his arms and leans in, elbows propped in front of his own tray. “You were peeking at me, and that is creepy.”

Liam leans in, hand curling into a fist like he’s getting ready to punch something or someone. Most likely, Theo.

“Did you?” Corey interrupts.

Liam cuts his gaze to the other chimera, “Did I what?”

“Did you see anybody, besides Theo?” Mason reiterates.

“No,” Liam tells them immediately. A little frown appears between his brows, “Wait, yeah, I saw Isabelle.”

“Who?”

Corey tilts his head, “The Waitress that flirted with Theo?”

Theo pauses, “What?”

“What?” Liam repeats.

“You told them about Isabelle?”

“I, yeah, I was curious.” Liam stammers.

“About what?”

“About why people find you attractive,” Corey says helpfully.

“Of course.” Theo rolls his eyes. “You know, evil and ugly aren’t synonymous, Dunbar.”

“I know they’re not synonymous,” Liam huffs. “But Theo and unattractive are.”

_Lie._

Theo blinks at the little wolf. That had been a lie. Liam stares back, mouth firming into a thin line as he realizes the same thing. Theo opens his mouth to retort, but he can’t think of anything to say. His mouth snaps shut as he looks away, clearing his throat.

“You saw Isabelle while you were shopping, right?” Mason taps his notebook with the tip of his pen, expression thoughtful. “Did you talk to her to each other?”

Liam clears his throat and nods.

“About?”

“We talked about milk,” Liam scrunches his face in thought. “And my phone.”

“Wait, you’re saying Isabelle _knew_ you didn’t have your phone?”

“Maybe she’s the hunter,” Corey whispers. “Doesn’t she go to school here?”

Mason looks at Theo, “She’s a senior, isn’t she?”

“How should I know.” Theo snarks. “I don’t keep track of everyone in my grade, do you?”

“No, but she was flirting with you,” Mason snaps back. “Shouldn’t you have taken note of her.”

“Guys,” Corey lifts his hands peaceably.

Mason deflates, “Sorry.”

Theo sighs, “Are we adding Isabelle to the ‘Stalking’ list?”

“We kind of have to,” Corey smiles tightly.

 

There are actual, normal people inside the animal clinic when Theo shows up after school. The chimera stands there in the lobby with wide-eyed amazement. He’s snuck in, broke in, and walked in countless times and has never once seen anyone here other than the assorted members of Scott’s pack, allies, and Deaton himself in this building before.

“Hello, Theo,” Dr. Deaton greets appearing at once behind the desk. Theo wonder's if the man's a little something more than he lets on. “I’m glad to see you’ve made it.”

The vet pushes open the little swings door. They both know Theo doesn’t need it to be opened for him since he’s a chimera and mountain ash doesn’t affect him. Still, Theo understands that it’s a gesture. Not of trust, but of a partnership. This secretive vet is giving him a chance. Theo takes it and steps through.

“I’ve never seen clients here before,” Theo says offhand as he follows Deaton into the back room.

 “Business has been quite slow since the awakening of the nematon,” Dr. Deaton slips on a pair of gloves and hands another pair to Theo. There’s a fully grown and ridiculously plump Saint Bernard laying on the table, tongue lolling out of its mouth and drool dripping onto the cool metal. Deaton smiles and gestures to the dog, “This is Ragnar.”

The Saint Bernard perks up at hearing his name. Theo bites back a grin when the dog barks excitedly as both he and Deaton step up to the table. Hot puffs of dog breath hit Theo’s face a second before a slimy tongue coats his chin in saliva. Theo stumbles backward a few steps wiping at his face, but all he manages to do is smear the spit with his gloved hands and trip over his own feet onto the cold tile floor.

“Ugh.”

Dr. Deaton chuckles, “Ragnar is one of my friendlier clients.”

Theo glares balefully up at the large dog, “I can see that.”

Ragnar lets out a loud yip, tail thumping wildly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any grammatical errors or inconsistencies. Any and all criticism is helpful. 
> 
>  
> 
> Come talk to me on Tumblr.  
> http://lovelylittlegrim.tumblr.com/


	7. Chapter Seven: Liam

“Two and a half weeks and we have absolutely nothing!” Liam throws himself at Mason’s bed.

“Dude, don’t break my bed,” Mason calls out as he sidles through the door into the room. He nudges the door closed with his foot, arms laden with various drinks and snacks. He drops them on the bed beside Liam. The human swipes two cans of coke from the horde or goods and joins Corey at the desk, hopping up to sit next to him. Corey takes the coke with a soft thanks, shoulder bumping into Masons lightly.

Liam sits up and turns to where Theo’s quietly leaning against the window sill. “Are you sure Olivianna isn’t a hunter?”

“I’m positive,” Theo says dryly. “She’s possibly the most boring person I’ve ever met. If I have to listen to talk about rabbit keeping one more time I’m going to claw my ears off and purposely not heal them.”

“That’s kind of harsh,” Corey murmurs sipping at his coke, but he looks like he might laugh anyway.

Mason snorts. “Yeah, I mean, you’ve met Greenberg, haven’t you?”

Corey chokes on his coke. Mason thumps him on the back fondly, chuckling to himself.

Theo turns his head away, but Liam can still see the twitch at the corner of the chimera’s lips. The cold condensation from the drinks is seeping into Liam’s pants from where they rolled up against his leg. He makes a noise of displeasure in the back of his throat, grabs a bottle of water and tosses it at Theo. The older boy catches it easily, the soft smiles that he’d been hiding turns smug as he twists off the cap and takes a drink.

Liam rolls his eyes and pops open his own can of coke.

“Maybe, we’re wrong about them being a student,” Corey says into the growing silence fiddling with the tab on his soda.

“Should we start focusing on older groups of people,” Mason asks the room at large.

Liam shrugs, “We can check Olivianna and Anthony off our suspect list, but I still don’t trust Isabelle.”

“None of us do,” Corey agrees.

“Which is why I have a date with her Saturday,” Theo informs them blandly. He’s staring up at the ceiling, looking for all the world like he’s bored of this discussion like it’s something menial and not their lives on the line.

“You, what?” Liam blinks at the chimera in surprise.

Mason gaps. “But, what if she’s a hunter.”

Theo drops his head and stares at Mason. There are dark circles under his eyes, Liam notices like he’s not getting enough sleep. Liam frowns, the chimera had been dodging them after school for a while now. Always stating he was too busy for their impromptu pack meetings and visits to Chris Argent.

Theo rolls his eyes, weight shifting from one foot to the other under the scrutiny of the room, “Yeah, that’s kind of why I’m going on the date with her in the first place, Mason.”

“We should go too,” Corey tells Mason.

Mason shakes his head with a laugh, “Um, no thanks, I’m not up for a double date with Theo and a hunter.”

“I meant the three of us,” Corey motions at Liam and Mason. “We should follow them, in case she really is a hunter and Theo needs back up.”

“Thanks, Corey, but I think I can handle one teenage girl on my own,” Theo snarks stuffing his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. “Anyway, don’t you and Liam have practice on Saturdays.”

Liam nods, “We do, and coach will kill us if we skip without a good reason.”

“This is a good reason,” Corey stresses, setting down his can of coke. “Isabelle is our last suspect.”

Mason sighs, “Corey’s right. If it turns out she’s not a hunter then we have zero leads.”

 

“Can you give me a lift home,” Liam asks Theo quietly. He’d usually walk since it’s not that far, but it’s late, far later than he’d intended to stay, but the four of them had planned and argued over the logistics for hours. Theo blinks at him slowly, like he’d been moments away from falling asleep where he’s sitting leaning back against the wall. Liam doesn’t get a response. “Theo?”

The chimera nods, slowly pushing himself up from the ground. He picks up his jacket from the floor and shrugs back into it with a stifled yawn, “Yeah, come on.”

Liam watches him from the corner of his eye. The chimera’s movements are sluggish as they walk to his truck. The shadows beneath his eyes look more pronounced under the yellow glow of the street lamps.  _He’s thinner,_  Liam realizes with a jolt. Not overly so, it’s just his cheeks look less full than they had when Liam had first met him.  _He’s paler too._ The healthy tan Theo usually sports is fading, as though he spends a good portion of his time indoors these days.

A frown pulls at Liam’s mouth.  _What has he been doing?_

_“Stop.”_

Liam jerks his eyes away guiltily, “I wasn’t doing anything.”

“You were staring at me,” Theo grumbles climbing into the truck, he shoves the key into the ignition and starts it. “You do that a lot lately.”

“I do not,” Liam lies. He has been, and he does. He can’t seem to stop himself.

Theo turns to him, hands clenching the steering wheel, face devoid of emotion, “If you have something to say then just say it.”

“Are you…” Liam trails off, clears his throat. It’s not like Theo will give him an honest answer anyway.

“Come on, little wolf, spit it out,” Theo taunts. “Am I?”

Liam growls at the nickname. He’s not little, damn it. Theo’s only a few inches taller than him. The jab at his height and age make him sit up straighter, square his shoulders. “You don’t look okay.”

Liam watches as the space between Theo’s brows crease in confusion before smoothing out. He watches at the rigid posture eases just so, as though he was on guard, or expecting something else, something bad.

“I’m fine,” He says slowly. Liam can hear the truth in the rhythmic beat of Theo’s heart. The older boy isn’t lying, but Liam can’t help but feel like it isn’t the complete truth. Somethings up with Theo and Liam’s worried about what it could be that’s affecting the chimera like this.

“You don’t look fine,” He makes himself say. “You look exhausted.”

Theo’s face goes through a serious of emotions, all too quick for Liam to process or understand before settling on annoyance. “Yeah, well, I’ve been busy” Theo snaps. “Running around helping you and your idiotic pack stay alive isn’t exactly my idea of a relaxing time.”

“No, one asked you to help,” Liam reminds him heatedly because it’s true. They hadn’t asked for his help this time. In fact, Liam had expressly refused Theo’s help, only accepting it because he knew it was the right call as an alpha. He’s getting angry. “You’re the one that just magically showed up in the woods.”

Dead silence.

Liam’s heart is pounding wildly in his chest now. His mind making up all kinds of assumptions. He suddenly needs to know. “What were you even doing all the way out there?”

He’s furious when Theo hisses, “That’s none of your business, Dunbar.”

“It is too,” Liam growls, anger pools in his chest, white-hot and familiar. His claws are digging into the soft flesh of his palms, blood slips through his fingers onto the leg of his pants. He knows he’s going to regret what comes next, but the need to strike out and hurt is too big to ignore and he knows a physical hit to the face isn’t what will damage Theo most. “How do I know you’re not a hunter! It’s not like you haven’t tried to kill us all before, you could be working with the hunters to save your own ass!”

It’s a low blow and Liam knows it as soon as Theo’s eyes turn cold. For the first time in months, it’s like Liam is looking at pre-hell Theo. Liam can feel the shame clawing its way up from his chest, tearing down the anger.

There’s something dark and dangerous about the twist of Theo’s lips, the eerily calm way he says; “Maybe I am working for the hunters. Why risk dying and going back to hell for someone like you? You can barely even hold yourself together without Scott here to hold your hand.”

Theo scoffs, it sounds so different from every other time Liam has heard it, sounds bitter and cruel. “Someone like you could never be an alpha, you’re too angry inside, too volatile. Scott made a huge mistake leaving you in charge.”

Liam knows he deserves it, but he still punches Theo in the face, feels the satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage beneath his knuckles. Theo makes a pained noise as he falls against the driver’s door. His eyes are burning into Liam over the hand he has cupped over his nose. He drops it. Liam watches as blood drips down Theo’s chin. The chimera smiles, his eyes no longer look cold, they just look empty.

Liam’s about to climb out of the truck and start walking home, but suddenly the truck is moving, slowly backing out of Mason’s driveway and out onto the street. Theo switches gears and then they’re driving down the road in the direction of Liam’s home. It’s a little over fifteen minutes of tense silence before Theo pulls up in front Liam’s house. He doesn’t put the truck in park, doesn’t even look at Liam, just waits for him to get out and then he drives away.

Liam stands there at the curb long after Theo is gone, October chill biting into the skin of his too warm face. The shame that had been growing in his stomach the entire drive has completely drowned out his anger with Theo. That’s not at all how he had wanted that conversation to go. He’d just wanted to make sure that the older boy was okay because he looked like he hadn’t properly slept or ate in days, maybe weeks. Instead, he had somehow pissed off Theo. They had been doing so well up until tonight, sure they fought all the time, but it was mostly just out of habit now, it wasn’t  _real_ fighting. Their goals had never been to intentionally hurt one another.

“Fuck.”

Liam kicks at his mother’s stupid collection of garden gnomes as he storms his way up to the front door, the shame giving way to anger again, this time entirely at himself. The gnome he kicked collides with his mother’s favorite gnome; a creepy, little, bearded fucker holding a carrot and a chopping knife, and both shatter. He stares in abject horror, “Fuck.”

 

The café Theo had chosen for his fake date is surprisingly nice. Liam, Corey, and Mason had arrived first and found a nice booth near the back of the café where they could easily watch. It smells overwhelmingly like burnt coffee beans and pastries, more so where they’re sitting than when they had first walked in. The café is bustling with quiet activity, low indistinct murmurs swelling and falling around them. Mason and Corey are already making plans to come back here on a real date, instead of this strange three-person spy fest they’re doing now.

Theo and Isabelle arrive just over fifteen minutes later. Immediately, Theo spots them, his friendly demeanor falters when he makes eye contact with Liam, brows pulling down minutely and then it’s back at full force. One of his hands is pressed carefully to the middle of Isabelle’s back as Theo gently guides her to a little two-person table just a few tables away from Liam, Mason, and Corey’s. Theo pulls out her chair and she sits in it with a bright laugh her back to them.  _Clever._  She would no doubt recognize Liam.

“So, gentlemanly,” Liam hears her say. “And they say chivalry is dead.”

Theo grins and it’s so strange how Liam can tell that it’s completely and utterly false.

“Can I get you, boys, anything?”

Liam startles, looking up at the young man standing next to their table.

“Um,” He looks at Mason for help, he doesn’t drink coffee so he’s never been to an actual café before. He has zero idea what to order despite being handed a menu when they first sat down. “I don’t –

“He’ll have a hot chocolate and raspberry scone,” Mason smiles pleasantly up at the waiter then places his own order of a chocolate chip muffin and a latte. Corey gets a muffin too and a hot tea.

“Thanks,” Liam mumbles.

 

Liam watches as Isabelle offers Theo a bite of her chocolate chip chocolate muffin. A small part of him feels smug when he realizes that Isabelle doesn’t actually know anything about Theo. She doesn’t know that he’s a chimera, or that he’d gone to hell, and she doesn’t know that he hates sweets. Theo catches his eye for a moment, his relaxed smile doesn’t leave his face, but his eyes shutter and then he’s leaning forward towards Isabelle.

Liam can’t breathe, panicked at the thought of Theo kissing the girl, but the chimera just takes a bite of the muffin she’s holding out to him. Chocolate lingering on his bottom lip when he sits back in his seat before he swipes it off with a lazy sweep of his tongue. Liam’s staring, he knows he is, but he can’t stop. He knows that Theo is clever and cold and calculating when he wants to be. He also knows that the single, innocent looking bite of Isabelle’s chocolate muffin was a jab at Liam.

It was Theo saying:  _you don’t know me, you can’t trust me, remember?_

Theo’s smiling at whatever Isabelle is saying, head nodding along, but he’s staring at Liam, watching him and waiting for a response. Liam wants to whisper how much he hates the chimera, but he doesn’t actually hate him. Hasn’t for a while. Theo smirks and his dark eyes fall back to the lovely girl in front of him. Liam watches him laugh head tilting forward, shoulders shaking. He looks the picture of typical-teenage-boy on a first date. Liam wants to throw a fork at his head. Instead, he turns around and watches Corey steal bites of Mason’s chocolate chip muffin.

“You okay?”

Liam jerks his head up to meet Mason’s concerned gaze.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

The conversation cuts Liam. It’s nearly word for word what Theo and Liam had said. He still doesn’t understand how it had derailed so quickly. He was just worried about the chimera, like he’d be worried about Mason or Corey. He hadn’t meant to end the night in a screaming match.

“I’m,” He starts to say, lie swirling over his tongue. He shakes his head. It’s Mason and even if his best friend doesn’t like Theo he’ll still listen to Liam because he’s a good friend -A great friend. Liam clears his throat and leans towards his friends.

“I said something really cruel to Theo,” He whispers he wonders if the Chimera can hear him. Liam simultaneously hopes he does and doesn’t. He peeks over his shoulder, but Theo looks completely immersed in his discussion with Isabelle. “And now he’s pissed at me.”

Corey frowns, he’s looking down at his sweater and plucking crumbs from the soft looking wool. “What did you say?”

“When did you say it?” Mason asks. He’s frowning. “He hasn’t seemed any more hostile than usual.”

Liam snorts. He supposes to others that Theo’s behavior wouldn’t seem different from any other day, but Liam has learned to see the subtle hints. He’s been talking and spending time with Theo for several weeks now. He knows the difference between Theo being  _Theo_  and him purposely wanting to cause pain. If he’s being honest with himself, he’s known the difference for months, long before Monroe and the Anuk-ite ever showed up.

“I said something I didn’t actually mean or believe,” Liam tells Corey instead of really answering the question. Corey gives him a look and Liam knows that the other boy has caught the deflection. Liam drops his eyes to the table and then raises them back up to Mason, “After we left your house during the last pack meeting we got into an argument.”

“Is Theo pack?” Corey asks. Liam knows the questions innocent, Corey honestly just wants to know, but it makes Liam’s hackles raise. He’s been feeling unnecessarily violent the last four days. He’s pretty sure it’s because he’s at odds with his anchor. He wants to laugh at himself because it’s taken him two months to realize and admit to himself that  _yes_  Theo is his anchor. Scott will probably be disappointed in him when he finds out, or worse; he’ll be worried.

“Yeah,” Liam gives a short nod, no actual thought required. “He’s pack.”

Corey bobs his head, “Okay.” He accepts it with ease, Liam wonders if it’s because Corey still thought of Theo as pack from when Theo had been his alpha. Or, if maybe, Corey just thinks of Theo as a friend and doesn’t have a problem with Theo being part of their little pack.

“He is?” Mason raises a brow. “Why?”

“Because he’s -because I trust him,” Liam says. He licks his lips, “Do you, um, have a problem with that?”

Mason gives him a hard stare, “You  _really_ trust Theo?”

“Yeah, I really trust Theo.”

Mason looks over at the table where Theo and Isabelle are sitting, Liam can’t help but follow his gaze. Theo’s staring straight at him. He looks surprised, lips slightly parted. Liam feels his face go hot with embarrassment, wonders how much Theo heard. He turns away quickly. He can’t stop himself from listening to the quick thumps of Theo’s heart.

He can hear Isabelle shift in her seat like she’s twisting around, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Theo says easily. “Just thought I saw someone I know.”

“Have you apologized?” Corey asks, he’s given up on removing the crumbs from his sweater.

“Not yet, but I will,” Liam assures him. He’s been thinking of ways to tell the tetchy chimera he’s sorry for days.

Mason’s still staring at Theo, but Liam senses no hostility. “No.”

“No?”

Mason turns to Liam, eyes sincere. “I don’t have a problem with it.”

“Oh,” Liam feels strangely awkward and ridiculously relieved. “That’s… Good.”

Corey’s phone buzzes, vibrating across the table top. He unlocks it with a swipe of his thumb and snorts down at the screen, “Nolan says he hates us for missing practice.”

Corey’s phone buzzes again, “Finstock is on a rampage.”

Another buzz.

“Apparently, Greenberg broke into Coach’s car and filled it with roses and love notes.”

Mason laughs, “Romantic.”

Corey looks tilts his head thoughtfully, so Mason points his fork at him threateningly. “Don’t even think of trying that on me, pal.”

Corey smiles softly, catching Mason's hand with his own. The fork clatters to the table. “Don’t need too.”

Liam rolls his eyes in mock disgust, but he’s happy for his friends. He’s also happy neither of them can smell jealousy.

 

Liam’s washing his hands in the café bathroom when the door opens and Theo walks in. There’s a silent, tense stare down.

“I’m sorry,” Liam says into the quiet.

Theo’s expression is unreadable.

Liam continues, “I didn’t mean what I said in the truck. I know you’re not working with the hunters. You wouldn’t have helped us in the woods and gotten shot if you were. I just snapped, okay, and I’m sorry. You’re not that same person you were before going to hell.  _I know that._  It’s just, I was worried about you, you look tired and you keep disappearing after school and I just wanted to know that you’re okay. I’m not trying to pry into your business I’d do the same for Mason or Corey or even  _Nolan_ …”

Liam bites the inside of his cheek so hard it bleeds. The taste coating his mouth, coppery and strong. He literally just word-vomited all over Theo and he's worried that if he lets his mouth open he’ll do it again. Theo shifts his weight and Liam’s heart skips when he thinks Theo’s going to just leave. He doesn’t though, he just leans against the wall. His eyes don’t look cold or cruel, they just look dark and assessing.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

Theo’s lips twitch and yeah, Liam gets the stupid reference now because he’s watched the damn movie. It was horribly sad, and Liam had had to call Mason and cry about it to him on the phone -He also had to blackmail the human into never telling another living soul.

Theo’s eyes fall to his chest, where his heart is sitting, then travel up to his face, up to his eyes. “I believe you.”

“You do?”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Theo shrugs.

Liam wants to ask if they’re good now; wants to make sure that Theo’s not angry with him. He doesn’t know how to make the words come out of his mouth without sounding like an idiot or fucking up what headway they've just made. Instead, he asks, “How much did you hear?”

The chimera raises an eyebrow.

Liam licks his lips, “About what we were talking about at the table.”

“I heard Mason ask if you trust me.”

“And?”

“You said yes.”

To the untrained eye, Theo looks nonchalant and disinterested, but Liam can see how tensely he’s holding himself.

“I meant it.”

There’s that barely perceptible wrinkle between Theo's brows, “You shouldn’t.”

Liam shrugs, a playful smile on his face as he takes note of the tension bleeding out of the chimera. “Probably not, but I do.”

Theo exhales heavily through his nose in amusement, pushes off the wall and turns to the bathroom door. He’s pushing it open when Liam calls out, “Wait, don’t you have to use the bathroom.”

“Nope,” Theo says looking over his shoulder, lips tugging up into a smirk. He pushes the door open and leaves. The door swings back and shuts with a soft click. Liam’s left standing alone in the bathroom.

“Oh.”

 *

“Dude, you okay,” Mason asks when Liam slides back into his seat at their table. “You took forever.”

“Yeah,” Liam smiles at his best friend. “I’m fine.”

Corey stares at him for several seconds, his gaze flickering over to Theo and then back to Liam. He smiles. Liam wonders if he’s going to comment about Theo disappearing to the bathroom the same time Liam did or ask if Liam apologized. He doesn’t. Corey points at Liam’s half-eaten raspberry scone, “You gonna finish that?”

Liam shakes his head and pushes the plate towards his friend, “Have at it.”

“Where do you put it all?” Mason murmurs watching his boyfriend bite into the scone with relish.

Corey shrugs, holds out the pale red piece of bread, “Want a bite?”

“No.”

Corey stuffs the rest of it into his mouth and Liam bursts into laughter at Mason’s scandalized expression. Corey starts laughing too but chokes on a piece of the scone. Mason panics, thumping him harshly on the back. Liam feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, he laughs harder.


	8. Chapter Eight: Theo

The hospital is abuzz with harried doctors and nurses rushing to treat patients. There are two people at the nurse’s station looking over clip-boards and rubbing sleepily at their eyes. Exhaustion seeps from their very pores, clouds the scent of medicine and sickness that hangs thickly in the air. Theo can relate. He’s exhausted, it’s been months since he’s had a full night of sleep, add in working nearly every day for Deaton and he’s surprised he’s not already collapsed, probably would if he wasn’t some genetically engineered freak.

Theo counts to five as the scrubs’ wearing couple depart from the nurses’ station. He sucks in a deep breath, checks one last time for Melissa McCall and rushes as inconspicuously as he can across the open hallway. He snatches up one of the red markers sitting on the desk and quickly scribbles out Melissa’s name on the paper sack. It’s piping hot against his fingers, he’d stressed that he needed it as freshly made as possible. The food is from the older woman’s favorite Chinese takeout place. Theo’s stomach growls at the smell and he can’t wait to get back out to his truck to eat his own portion of the meal. He drops the bag on the desk in the usual spot and turns to leave as quickly as possible.

“So, _you’re_  the dinner drop off culprit.”

Theo jerks back into the desk, the corner of it catching him painfully in the side, hard and quick enough to form a fleeting bruise. He grunts at the impact and turns a glare on who spoke, heart beating wildly. For a single heart-stopping second, he thought he had finally been caught by Melissa McCall, but there’s a tall friendly looking doctor standing in front of him instead of Scott’s spit-fire mother. There’s a nameplate pinned to the front of the pristine lab coat the doctors wearing, black lettering spelling out;  _Dr. Geyer._

“Sorry,” The man laughs, but he’s sincere in his apology. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

 “You didn’t,” Theo immediately lies. The sting from his collision with the desk has already faded into nothing.

“Right, of course not.” Dr. Geyer grins nodding his head amiably. He smells strangely familiar, but Theo’s positive he’s never met this man before. It’s hard to catch anything definite over the smell of chemicals. He has to tamp down on the urge to step forward and breathe in the man’s scent. Curiosity skitters across his skin like an itch. He wants nothing more than to scratch it.

 “Are you a friend of Melissa’s,” Dr. Geyer inquires, nodding at the paper sack of takeout food on the desk behind. “You seem fairly young.”

“I’m eighteen,” Theo says before he can think better of it, before he can think of how it’ll sound. Melissa is an attractive woman, but she’s not his type and he is  _definitely not_  hers. Theo sucks in a quick breath and decides to do what he does best: Lie.

“I’m friends with her son, Scott. He’s away at college right now and I promised him before he left that I’d look after her.” Theo gives him a charming smile, one that he knows from years of experience is disarming and friendly in appearance. “Secretly though, she’s a proud woman.”

“Well,” Dr. Geyer smiles back at him, it’s a genuine pull of the lips unlike Theo’s. “Scott is very lucky to have such a good friend.”

The words feel like a knife to the stomach, quickly and roughly gutting him where he stands. Theo’s disappointed at how much he wishes those words were true. He stands there awkwardly, no response ready on the tip of his tongue. Truth is Scott McCall would probably kill him if the true alpha knew about what Theo was doing, and even if he didn’t Scott would assume Theo was doing it for nefarious purposes. Scott would no doubt demand an explanation and Theo’s not sure what he would say.

 _He’s_ not even sure of why he’s doing what he’s doing; except that it  _feels right._   _It feels good._

Theo blinks back to the present, belatedly he realizes that Dr. Geyer had asked him a question and was waiting for a response. “What,” Theo stammers out.

“I asked about college,” Dr. Geyer repeats rocking back on his heels. “Are you attending one or are you doing something else?”

“Not yet, I’m still in high school,” Theo explains haltingly. He wants out of this conversation –of this hospital –before he gets caught. “I had to take some time out of school last year because I was sick.”

The doctor nods understandingly. Theo wonders how many sick children the doctor has had to admit to the hospital and treat for him to readily accept Theo’s answer. “You go to Beacon Hills high school?”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s a good school, my son goes there as well. He’s a junior this year,” Dr. Geyer’s dark eyes glimmer proudly, a fond smile splitting his face. Theo’s stomach clenches at the expression, it feels oddly like jealousy.

“You might know him, actually, he’s on the lacrosse tea,” –A pager beeps from within his lab coat cutting off the Doctor. Theo tries to picture anyone he knows with the last name Geyer, but no one comes to mind. It’s not that surprising, Theo doesn’t pay attention to anyone that doesn’t directly affect him. The only people he knows on the lacrosse team are Liam, Corey, and Nolan.

Dr. Geyer’s staring at the pager, he hums tiredly. “I have to run, but it was nice meeting you…”

“Theo.” He offers, only thinking after answering that he should have used an alias, in-case Dr. Geyer brings it up to Melissa.

“It was nice meeting you, Theo,” The doctor pats him on the shoulder. “And don’t worry, your double life as a delivery boy secret is safe with me.”

Theo nods gratefully; his words of thanks getting caught on his tongue. The man smiles brightly at him one last time before jogging down a hallway to the left. Calls back, “Get home safely, young man.” Then disappears around a corner.

Theo glances around to make sure the coast is clear then hurries towards the exit. He’s already been there too long. He’ll have to be extra careful Thursday night.

 

He’s just climbing into his truck when his phone buzzes, alerting him to a text message. It’s from Corey.

 **Received 9:16**  Are you going to disappear after school tomorrow?

Theo stares at the text for a long time because  _What?_

 **Sent 9:19**  I hope not

 **Received 9:20**  I mean, are you busy after school tomorrow with whatever it is that you seem to be busy with lately after school…if that made sense…?

Theo snorts, thinks about sending a text saying he understood nothing. He decides against it though, and types out a response. He smirks at the words and hits send.

 **Sent 9:21**  I’m not busy tomorrow after school with whatever I’m usually busy with after school. Why?

 **Received 9:22**  Argent thinks he found a hunter safe house, we’re checking it out after lacrosse practice.

Theo lets his head thump back against the head rest and groans. Fuck being a better person, these people are going to get him fucking killed and he knows where he’s going when he dies. He’s been there. He’s not ready to go back anytime soon. Corey and Mason and Liam can get themselves killed all they want. Argent and everyone else too for all Theo cares. He’s done helping. Done. It’s not getting him anywhere but closer to the danger he’s trying to avoid.

He should have just stayed in his truck that night when he heard the gunshots. He doesn’t even remember why he ran towards them. He could have just pretended like he didn’t know anything, then he could have transferred schools and left this godforsaken town. The old him would have done that. His motto had basically been: Self-preservation before anything else. Then he’d gone to hell. He’d suffered for months, had his heart ripped from his chest over and over and over again. And then… And then he was back. _Liam_  had brought him back and everything had just  _changed._

He had changed.

Theo thumps his head against the headrest twice more, “Fuck.”

 **Sent 9:27**  Alright.

 

Theo slumps down onto one of the bleacher benches on the lacrosse field. The metals cold and within minutes his ass is going numb. He wriggles a bit, trying to warm up, but it’s useless. He breathes into his hands and stares out at the field where the lacrosse team is still doing drills, running back and forth. He glances from player to player, tries to match a face to the number on their jerseys. He comes up blank for all but three. Theo wonders which one is Dr. Geyer’s son.

He leans against the seat behind him and crosses his arms over his chest. The metal digs into his back, but he’s too tired to stay sitting upright. With Halloween looming at the end of the week the local police have been doing more and more patrols to keep the streets safe from tricksters. Unfortunately for Theo, that means he was being woken up more and more by nosy officers and made to move his truck. He’d been woken up thirteen times last night.

He closes his eyes, the gray autumn sky seeming just a little too bright and waits for Corey and Liam to finish Lacrosse practice.

A shrill whistle startles Theo, his ass slipping in between the seats onto the floor of the bleachers. He frowns at the darkening sky. He must’ve fallen asleep.

“Alright, line up you bunch of daffodils, I’ve got some important news!” Coach waves his arms through the air, brandishing his clip-board dangerously.

The team falls in, a huddle of sweating teenagers staring wearily at Coach Finstock. Theo spots Liam, he’s wedged in between Nolan and Corey. The three of them tugging at their helmets and gloves until they’re free of them.

“Now, I know you lazy asses have heard the _many_  announcements about Safe Trick or Treat this Friday and Saturday. Principal Donahue has informed me that only four students, yeah, four out of this entire freak show of a school have volunteered to help out the precious youth of Beacon Hills.”

The team groans, murmurs of, “Please Coach.” And “Come on, don’t do this to us.” And “I’ll wash your car for a month!” go completely ignored.

Finstock pulls a stack of papers off the clip-board and holds them up for the team to see. “These are permission slips, have your parents sign them tonight and put them on my desk tomorrow morning or I will make your lives a living hell.”

He points his clipboard at them,” That’s right! You boys are all going to be helping those little monsters pick out their pumpkins and take them trick or treating this weekend.”

The entire lacrosse team looks absolutely devastated at this sudden turn of events. Theo can’t help it, he laughs into his fist, hot pants of air hanging around him like tiny accusatory clouds. Coach Finstock turns around and faces him. “Oh ho, you think keeping the streets safe from tiny hooligans is funny do you” -he snaps his fingers at Theo- “What’s your name?”

Corey and Nolan shake their heads, but Liam smirks up at him.

“He’s Theodore Raeken, Coach,” Liam calls out helpfully.

“Raeken,” Coach makes a derisive noise. “Well,  _Mr. Raeken_ , you just volunteered your Friday and Saturday, we thank you for your generosity, don’t we boys.” The coach gestures for the Lacrosse team to thank Theo, they all grumble it out except for Liam.

“Yeah, Theo, we thank you for your generosity,” Liam snickers behind his hand. Corey nudges him, but he’s smiling too.

Theo sends the beta wolf his best murderous glare. Liam just grins at him from over Finstock’s shoulder, tapping his lacrosse stick against the ground. Theo waits for Finstock to turn back to the lacrosse players to whisper, “You dick, Dunbar.”

He catches Liam’s laughter on the wind, the little wolf running towards the locker rooms to change. Theo bites down on the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.

 

 

The hunters base is in an abandoned building in the warehouse district.  _Where else would it possibly be_ , Theo thinks with a derisive snort, rolling his eyes. It must have been  _so hard_  for Argent to find this place. Theo fights back a yawn, rubs his face wearily and waits for someone to decide what the fuck they’re doing as they all stare up at the dilapidated building. It honestly looks like a B-Grade movie bad guy lair.

“I don’t hear anyone inside,” Liam has his head tilted like a literal puppy, ears practically perked up for any source of sound coming from the building. “Do you hear anything, Theo?”

Theo’s eyes water as he clenches his jaw against another yawn, breathes heavily through his nose. “I don’t hear anything, but that doesn’t mean that no one is inside. We have no idea how thick those walls are.”

“I can go in alone,” Argent says cocking his gun.

“No,” Liam tells him immediately, expression brooking no arguments. “We’ll go in with you.”

Argent raises a brow, “ _All_ of you?”

Liam nods, mouth set into a firm line.

The ex-hunter glances at Mason, Corey, and Nolan from the corner of his eye, “You sure?”

The beta’s expression falters.

Corey glances around, “We can stay out here, keep a look-out.”

“Yeah,” Mason nods, grinning. “No one will see us.”

The human takes Corey’s hand and holds it tight, “Go find some clues, Scooby-Doo.”

Theo chuckles under his breath while Liam scowls at the dog joke and flips his friend off.

Corey pats Nolan on the shoulder with his other hand, “Are you staying with us or are you going in?”

Nolan stares up at the building. Theo can smell his terror, can see the minute tremble in the boy's jaw before it’s gone and he’s turning to Corey, “I’m going in.”

Argent holds out a handgun to Nolan, the boy bites his lip and takes it carefully. Argent fixes him with a cool stare, “You know how to shoot, right?”

Nolan says  _yes_ like he’s ashamed. Theo’s hands curl into fists at his sides, it’s a feeling he himself is familiar with.

 

Theo wrinkles his nose as he, Liam, Nolan, and Argent quietly slip inside the building. The entire place smells like herbs. He can’t catch any other scents. He can’t even smell Liam, who’s standing right beside him, face twisted up in confusion. Theo doesn’t like the smell, it’s heavy and disorienting. As though his head is swimming in a rain cloud. He wonders if he can pull a ‘Scott’ and claw off his nose. He shakes his head at himself, his nose probably wouldn’t grow back. He’s not an alpha. He’s not even a real werewolf/coyote.

“What is it,” Argent barks at them, gun raised as he slowly picks his way across the floor like a professional. Nolan copying him, his pace is slower and his movements not as graceful, but he’s gotten better since the war or maybe he’s just more resolved. Nolan’s face is a blank slate despite the boy’s heart thumping like crazy in his chest. If Theo could smell him, he knows he would be smelling fear.

“There are no scents,” Liam calls out to Argent. “It’s just that same weird herb smell from the woods, but stronger. A lot stronger.”

Liam’s claws are extended, eyes gleaming gold in the dim light of the warehouse. Theo bet’s he smells angry beneath the scent of herbs. He can imagine the sharp smell of Liam’s anger, he’s smelled it enough times by now to nearly have it memorized.

Argent pulls open another door, it’s a hallway intersecting another hallway. Argent nods to the left, “We’ll split up, Nolan will come with me this way, you two go that way.” The ex-hunter turns to go; pauses. “If you find some of the herbs used to distort the smells, collect it, but don’t touch it with your bare hands. That goes for anything else you come across as well.”

Liam nods, “Got it.”

There are several doors on Theo and Liam’s side of the hallway, then a door at the end that’s labeled clearly as stairs.

“Should we split up to check the rooms,” Theo asks already pushing one of the doors open.

“No.” Liam’s at his side, peeking cautiously into the dark room. “We’ll check them together.”

The baby wolf pushes past Theo and steps inside, “Come on.”

Theo rolls his eyes, but follows the beta into the room. He just wants to hurry up and get this over with, so he can find someplace to sleep. He’s been debating on parking his truck at the truck stop on the west side of town again, it’s the only truck stop in Beacon Hills, but he hates it there. The last time he had parked at the shitty little stop he’d gotten mistaken for a male prostitute. Twice.  _In a single night._

He’d also gotten the cops called on him for supposedly soliciting himself. Theo’s pretty sure the guy who had propositioned him in the first place had been the one to call the law. Theo  _did_  break his hand and steal his wallet when he had finally clued in on the fact that the man was asking him how much it cost for a blowjob. Theo remembers standing there in complete shock for several long moments, only snapping out of his insulted haze when the man had had the audacity to called Theo, “Sweetheart.”

Theo had smirked coyly at the man, drew him into the shadows behind the truck stop restrooms. Then Theo had snapped each of the man’s fingers, cleanly, and stole his wallet. He didn’t even feel guilty about it, but he did feel embarrassed when Parrish had knocked on his truck window later that night and told him that soliciting sex is a crime. It had been a very long, awkward, and extremely tense conversation. Theo hadn’t been back to the truck stop since then.

“Earth to Theo,” Liam punches him in the shoulder. “Are you even paying attention?”

Theo blinks. They’re walking out of the last room and heading towards the stairs.

“Yeah,” He lies.

Liam snorts, “I don’t even have to listen to your heartbeat to know that was a lie.”

The beta stops just in front of the door to the stairs, “You can’t just zone out in here, man. We’re supposed to be looking for leads.”

“I am,” Theo grits his teeth. Well, he will be, once Liam moves out of the way, so they can check the second floor.

“You’re not,” Liam bites his lip, looks away from Theo. “Maybe you should go wait with Corey and Mason outside.”

“Maybe you should shut the fuck up,” Theo snipes back, brushing past Liam and into the stairwell. Liam’s right though, he can’t just space out. It’s dangerous. He’s just so fucking tired and the never-ending aroma of weird ass herbs isn’t helping. He can’t think straight.

Theo’s opening the door at the second landing when Liam yells out, voice high and panicked, “Theo wait!”

Something sharp slams into his chest at the same time as a warm body collides with him from behind dragging him to the floor and rolling with him down several stairs. He knew Liam was going to get him killed one day.

“Fuck,” Liam groans.

Theo agrees wholeheartedly with that sentiment, pushing himself up he gasps in pain. There’s a broken arrow sticking out of his solar plexus.

“Shit,” He heard Liam says, then warm hands are tugging him back and forcing him to lean against a wall. “You got shot.”

Theo snorts, “No, shit.” Theo stares down at the piece of arrow sticking out of him. He fingers around it delicately. It hurts like a bitch. He really hates being shot. He looks up at Liam, “Pull it out?”

“What?” Liam’s eyes are wide and very blue. Theo registers, slowly, just how close the beta is. His eyes drop down to Liam’s mouth when the boy licks his lips them nervously. “Shouldn’t we have Deaton or Melissa pull it out?”

“No, just pull it out,” Theo turns his head to the side. He doesn’t like where his thoughts were straying just now. “I can’t heal until it’s out, and we can’t wait, we need to finish searching. The second floor is rigged so maybe there’s something there.”

“And if there’s not?”

“Then I got shot for nothing,” Theo says crankily. “Now, just pull the damn arrow out.”

Liam swallows, loudly. The tips of his fingers wrap around the slick shaft of the arrow, they slip as he tries to get a good grip on it. Blood stains his pale hands.

“Are you ready,” He asks, catching Theo’s eye.

Theo nods, once. Short and decisive. “Pull.”

It takes four tries for Liam to get the offending piece of wood out of Theo’s chest. He had lost his grip twice and in his panic let go when Theo had started screaming as the metal head ripped into the flesh that was trying to knit itself back together. Theo had had to dig his claws into Liam’s shoulder and tell him to just “Get on with it, I can handle the pain.”

Liam’s staring down at the bloody half arrow in his hand, “You didn’t move out of the way quick enough.”

The beta looks up, eyes intense. “I’ve seen you move faster than that before and you didn’t hear the rigging at all. What’s up with you today.”

“I haven’t been getting much sleep,” Theo says his mouth clicking shut after the admission.

“Why not?”

Theo gives him a hard stare, says nothing. Anger flickers over Liam’s face, like a flash and then it’s gone. The beta breathes in deeply, nose scrunching up, most likely at the smell, then lets it out, “Fine, you don’t have to tell me. It’s not my business.”

Liam pokes him roughly in the chest, “But if you don’t start taking care of yourself I’m going to kill you, got it?”

“That seems a bit redundant,”

Liam throws the arrow down the stairs. “Shut up, Theo.”

 “You going to go wait with Corey and Mason now,” Liam asks out of the blue, head tilted back, neck exposed. They’ve been sitting on the floor, leaned back against the wall, for a while now. Waiting for Theo’s body to heal enough so that he can stand without it ripping the hole back open.

Theo bares his human teeth, “Not a chance, little wolf.”

“Took you guys long enough,” Mason breathes when he sees them. He looks relieved to see Liam in one piece. “Thought you guys got lost or something.”

“Did you find anything,” Corey asks, his eyes fall to Theo’s chest and widen. “Did you get shot?”

“A little.”

Corey makes a face, “You found a little or you got shot a little?”

“We didn’t find anything,” Theo says by way of answer. He turns to Argent and Nolan; the pair is striding across the lot towards them from the building. Nolan’s no longer holding a gun, but a jar and two books.

“We found some things,” Nolan calls out, waving the objects in his hands a little. He holds out the jar when he reaches them, and Mason takes it carefully. It’s filled with ground up petals and leaves and carries that stupid head clouding smell. Theo takes a half step back. From the peripherals he sees Liam do the same.

Then Nolan holds up the books. One of them is a book of botany, the other a gardening guide. Nolan turns them around, so everyone can see the back. There are identical stickers on them, bright yellow with black lettering signaling them both as; **The**   **Property of Beacon Hills High School**

 _Well,_  Theo thinks.  _It’s definitely a student._


	9. Liam

It's Mason who suggests taking the books back to the school library and seeing if they can find out who checked them out. It doesn't work though, apparently, the books are no longer in the BHHS records, they had gone overdue for far too long and had been wiped from the database.

Liam groans in frustration down at the computer over Mason and Corey's shoulders.

"What do we do now," Mason asks.

"Do you boys need any help?" Liam startles and turns to face Mrs. Arnolhager, the school's librarian.

There's a no on the tip of Liam's tongue, but then Theo is speaking.

"How long do books have to be missing before you write them off as a lost cause," The chimera asks and Liam has to admit it’s a clever question.

"Once a school year had ended and the books haven't been checked in we officially replace or wipe them," Mrs. Arnolhager tells them she narrows her eyes at the group. "Do you boys have any books you wish to return?"

"No, Ma'am," Mason says quickly, hand entangling with Corey's and squeezing when the chameleon reaches for his backpack harboring the stolen books. "We were just curious."

She doesn't look convinced. "Is that all you needed?"

"Yeah, thanks," Liam says politely and watches as she stalks away.

Theo's frowning when Liam looks over at him, a wrinkle creasing his brow as he thinks.

"What," Liam asks nudging him in the arm to get his attention.

"The books have been checked out since before the last school year ended," Theo murmurs. "So, it's definitely not a new student, and whoever they are they've been planning for this since before Monroe and her people. They could have probably have been a part of that attack."

Liam rubs a hand at his face and groans into his palms. He's tired of hunters and Beacon Hills, maybe he can run away to Hawaii, change his name and live off fruits. He drops his hands. "Okay, we're meeting with Argent after school," Liam turns to Theo. "Are you going to come this time?"

Theo shakes his head, "I can't."

"Why not," Liam asks. The chimera hasn't been to a meeting in weeks. The only time they've been able to discuss things as a group outside of school was the couple of minutes they had yesterday before raiding the hunter warehouse.

"I'm busy," Theo tells him looking uncomfortable.

Liam wishes he was able to drop it, but he's still worried about Theo. The chimera practically looks dead on his feet. Liam bites out: "With?"

"None of your business," Theo snaps crossing his arms defensively over his chest and narrowing his eyes in warning at Liam.

Liam opens his mouth ready to keep arguing but then lets it fall shut. If Theo doesn't want to tell him then that’s his choice. Liam can't force Theo into spilling all of his secrets. He can't help but feel a little hurt though, he thought he and Theo had made progress. He thought they were friends. Liam bites at his bottom lip and pushes away the little pinprick of pain in his chest.

"Fine," He says quietly. "You don't have to tell me."

Theo looks surprised at the sudden drop of the topic like he expected Liam to fight him more. Liam tries to give Theo a smile, but he knows it doesn't quite work.

"Just," Liam says slowly, licking over his bottom lip. "Just be careful okay."

Theo nods, eyes flickering over Liam's face. He looks like he's thinking again, mind running through a hundred thoughts a minute. Liam wishes he knew what it was about this time. "Okay."

\---

The week passes by in an uneventful haze. They get no closer to finding out who the hunters are or where they're currently located in Beacon Hills. Liam's starting to think that maybe Monroe was the better choice. At least Liam could easily spot his enemies, but these hunters continued to be allusive—frustratingly so.

There’s a large yellow bus idling in the parking lot on Friday morning. It's waiting for the high school students to board it and take them to the Danvers Family Farm just outside of Beacon Hills. Liam must admit that while he’s not very good with children, a field trip in the middle of a school day is pretty coo. Coach Finstock is standing next to the open doors yelling at various students.

“Get your asses on the bus!” Coach points at him. “I see you, Dunbar, you can’t hide from me! On the bus!”

Liam shakes his head and jogs quickly over. He climbs into the bus, nose wrinkling at the scent of sweaty, hormonal teenagers. He blinks at the surprising number of passengers from the top step. He’s pretty sure coach threatened everyone here, well, everyone except Mason, who’s waving at him from near the back. He’s sitting with Corey, Nolan in the seat right behind them chatting amiably to them both.

Liam starts towards them only to be jerked down into a seat in the middle of the bus.

“Stay,” Theo murmurs against his ear, lips brushing against his skin. Theo’s hand is warm where it’s wrapped around Liam’s wrist. Liam has to fight back a shiver as the chimera’s breath ghosts across the back of his neck.

Liam hadn’t noticed him at all before now. The other boy is wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled up, obscuring him from view and Liam hadn’t been able to catch his scent over the god-awful smells. He had assumed Theo had found some way out of coming on this trip.

“Why,” Liam asks, righting himself in the seat from the awkward sprawl he had fallen in.

Theo releases his hold, but he’s still close to Liam, still talking in a low voice. “Isabelle’s one of the people that willingly signed up for this field trip.” Theo’s eyes are on the bus entrance. “I don’t want to share a seat with her the entire way there and no one else is dumb enough to sit next to me.”

Liam glances back at where Mason, Corey, and Nolan are sitting and chatting. Mason gives him a strange look that Liam has no idea how to interpret, so Liam just shrugs and slowly turns back around. Says, “I thought we were trying to get more information out of her.”

“Not when we’re trapped in a bus for two hours with zero escape routes,” Theo mutters darkly. “At least not any that aren’t ridiculously dramatic, like ripping the door off its hinges and jumping out onto the freeway.”

Liam snorts at the visual, “That would be a bit overdramatic. I’m sure coach would be very impressed though. He might force you onto the team."

Theo’s mouth twitches like he’s close to a smile before it drops completely, his eyes going wide. “Shit, here she comes.”

Liam looks back over to the bus doors, Isabelle has just boarded and is walking down the narrow aisles.

“Hey, Theo,” She calls out walking past and dropping into a seat a few spaces behind them. Theo nods a greeting at her but remains silent.

Liam snickers into the sleeve of his hoodie.

“Shut up, Dunbar.” Theo elbows him roughly.

"I thought you enjoyed people showering you with attention," Liam murmurs, staring at him from the corner of his eye.

Theo shrugs, but there's a tense set to his jaw.

"You okay?" Liam asks before he can think better of it. It never seems to end well with them when that question is involved.

"I'm fine," Theo lies, Liam can hear the little uptick in his heart. He doesn't even entertain the idea of calling Theo out on it though.

\---

“This is ridiculous,” Theo huffs fifteen minutes later.  Coach is standing at the front of the bus and for some odd reason he’s giving his game-day speech, which incidentally is the speech from Independence Day. Liam has personally never understood the relevance, but he’s always been entertained by it.

“It’s his favorite speech,” Liam tells Theo, fingers drumming lightly against his knees.

Theo snorts.

“I’m not talking about the speech, I’m talking about me being on this field trip. Theo leans back into his seat, arms crossing over his chest. “Should I even be allowed around children? I murdered my own sister, I shouldn’t be trusted with this.”

Liam lets out a startled laugh. He quickly covers his mouth in surprise. That is not something to laugh about, or even joke about.

There’s a noise of concern from behind them, Theo and Liam both jerk around to face the students in the seat behind theirs. Liam doesn’t recognize either of them, thinks they might be sophomores. “Uh, he’s just kidding.”

Theo tilts his head; the corners of his lips are twitching again when he says: “I’m really not.”

Liam gives him a quick elbow to the ribs, knocking the breath from his lungs with an audible whooshing sound. Theo groans, head falling onto the back of the seat.

“He’s completely kidding, don’t worry.” Liam says again with a brilliant smile and forcefully turns Theo back around.

The chimera’s holding his ribs and glaring, albeit a little petulantly at Liam.

Liam gives him a winning smile, refuses to apologize.

_\---_

Theo is asleep, head lolling against the window, lips slightly parted as he quietly breathes. Liam had been in mid-tirade about the Spanish Inquisition when he glanced over at Theo and had seen that he was sleeping, phone slowly slipping from his grasp. Liam had been surprised, catching the phone just before it could clatter to the floor and wake the sleeping boy.

He's seen Theo asleep before, at Melissa's the night of the first attack, but that was different. They were different. Theo looks so soft in sleep, young in a way that disappears as soon as he's awake. His skin is still pale and there are still bruises beneath his eyes, but he doesn't look quite so thin in the face anymore. Which has to count for something.

Liam's been playing candy crush on Theo's phone for nearly an hour, steadily raising the level so that it's harder for Theo when he hears a change in the chimera's breathing. He locks Theo's phone and turns to stare at him waiting to see if he's waking up or just shifting.

"Stop staring at me, Dunbar," Theo grumbles.

"I'm not," Liam lies eyes still blatantly watching Theo's face.

Theo gives a sleepy snort of laughter; his eye's slowly fluttering open. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost," Liam tells him. "Go back to sleep, I'll wake you when we get there."

Theo blinks tiredly at him and dips his head farther down on the window so his face is obscured more by the hood of his jacket. His voice is barely a whisper when he says, "Alright."

\---

Liam is trying very hard not to laugh and honestly, he's surprised he's mostly winning the battle. Theo is standing right next to the bus, eyes alight with terror as he stares at the hoard of children like they're an army of the walking dead. Liam thinks that maybe if they actually were the walking dead Theo would look more comfortable. The chimera's strange that way.

"I can't do this," He hears Theo mutter to himself and Liam can't stop the snicker that slips through his tightly pressed lips.

"They're just children," Mason tells them, wrapping an arm around Liam's shaking shoulders and pinching him roughly in an attempt to get him to quit laughing. "We've handled scarier things, guys."

Corey nudges Theo in the side, gently, a nervous smile twitching on his face when the chimera turns his dark eyes on him. "We _are_ scarier things," Corey says reassuringly as he scoots away from Theo's death glare.

"Come on, Raeken," Liam taunts. "I thought you were the big bad chimera of death."

Theo's eyes narrow to dangerous slits, his mouth parts open to no doubt threaten Liam, but he's cut off by Coach Finstock.

"Raeken!” Finstock yells over the crowd from where he’s standing on a large bale of hay. It’s punctuated by a sharp blow of his whistle. “Come meet your child!"

The anger slides off Theo's face and is replaced by an unnatural stillness. Liam watches as fear settles like a heavy cape on Theo's shoulders.

“Hurry it up Raeken! We haven’t got all day!”

"Dude, they're just tiny people, it'll be fine," Liam says quietly trying to offer some form of reassurance.

“I’m not exactly the best when it comes to dealing with people,” Theo bares his teeth at Liam. “Or have you forgotten.”

He stalks away from Liam and the others before Liam even has a chance to respond. Liam watches him go, weaving his way through the crowd.

"Should we be worried," Mason asks. "I feel like we should be worried."

“Why,” Liam asks absently watching as Finstock shoves Theo towards a child and then yells out for another high schooler. Theo and his kid are just staring at each other. He has a little girl, her hair is long and dark like her eyes, her skin tan and healthy with youth. She’s staring up at Theo likes she’s assessing him which is strange for someone who is probably not even seven yet. Then she nods at Theo, her mouth moving as she talks. Liam can’t hear what she’s saying over the blowing of Coach’s whistle, but there’s an easing in Theo’s shoulder’s, so it couldn’t have been anything bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Sorry, this chapter took... A literal month to upload and that it's ridiculously short. (The next chapter will be way longer to make up for this)  
> 2\. I will be regularly updating this story again.  
> 3\. I will also be editing all of the previous chapters because, wow, they need it.


	10. Theo

Theo is exhausted, sleep clawing at him hungrily, it’s his only excuse for the tiny smile that he can’t seem to push away from his lips. The pumpkin patch is huge and smells like pumpkin guts and vegetation, but his child charge, River, doesn’t seem to notice as she flitters around from pumpkin to pumpkin calling out to Theo every now and then for his opinion.

“How strong are you,” River yells. “Can you pick up one bigger than this?”

She points at a monster of a pumpkin and waits for him to yell back an answer.

“Very strong,” Theo tells her trying not to smile. “Pick a bigger one!”

River tilts her head down at the pumpkin and nods. She hurries away from the large pumpkin in search of an even bigger one face determined.

“Why does she like you so much,” Liam whines at him, sending petulant little glares to his own child charge. “Mine is a little devil and she hates me.”

Theo shrugs as he watches River stumble over a vine and glare at it imperiously before moving on to another row of pumpkins. He turns his head to the side to hide the twitching of his lips from Liam and Mason. He’s actually having much more fun than he had expected, but they don’t need to know that.

“She doesn’t hate you,” Mason offers consolingly as he sets down a pumpkin. “She’s probably just shy around people she doesn’t know.”

Liam rolls his eyes, “Don’t lie to me Mason, she’s a seven-year-old from hell. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the leader of the hunters or a byproduct of one at the very least.”

“Speaking of your child, she’s glaring at you,” Mason snickers, nodding at the little girl standing next to a round pumpkin with her arms crossed over her chest and eyes narrowed on Liam.

Liam flinches beneath her gaze. “You don’t think she somehow heard me right, that would be ridiculous.”

“Maybe she’s a supernatural,” Theo says conspiratorially.

Liam flips him off. “You both suck,” Liam grumbles and lumbers off through the maze of vines and leaves towards Arabella.

“Corey said you were different,” Mason says quietly once Liam is wrapped up in a conversation with Arabella. “He said you’re not the same person he knew before.”

Theo’s eyes are on Liam, watching him interact with Arabella.

“I was wrong,” Mason says finally.

“About what,” Theo asks, mouth dry with nerves, he drags his eyes away from Liam and settles them on River. The little girl is standing over a large gnarled pumpkin. It’s quite possibly the ugliest vegetable Theo has ever laid eyes on, but River is staring at it like it’s made from spun gold.

“You.” Mason turns to him, dark eyes staring at him earnestly, so Theo gathers what little courage he has and faces the human. “I think I was wrong that day in the tunnels when I said you didn’t care.”

“You weren’t,” Theo says without hesitation. He can remember that day perfectly. If he had cared, even a little bit, he would have been able to take Mason’s pain without any problem. Instead, he was left looking like an idiot and even more of an asshole.

Mason shakes his head, there’s a sad little smile pulling at his lips.

“I think you wanted to care, Theo,” Mason’s voice is quiet. He reaches out and places a hand on Theo’s shoulder, forcing Theo to look back up at him. Theo doesn’t remember looking away. “You just didn’t know how.”

Mason smiles at him, it’s small and soft like he’s just realized something very important. “But you’re learning.”

Theo remains quiet, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Theo!” River yells, startling him. “Theo look! It looks like a severed head! We have to get this one!”

He nods several times, tries to swallow over the lump in his throat. He feels like he should say something, but when he looks back down at Mason the human already has his phone out and is texting away. Theo heads towards River as quickly as he can without looking like he’s fleeing, he passes by Arabella and Liam, the latter giving him a strange look as he passes. It’s most likely because his heart is still racing, and he doesn’t know how to make it stop.

\---

Theo is covered in fake blood and makeup to make him look like a much more gory version of himself. There are several fake piercings in his ears, as well as two wrapped around his bottom lip and one on his nose. River’s mom laughs when she opens the door and sees him.

“Hello, Mrs…” Theo trails off awkwardly at the realization that he had never learned River’s last name the day before.

“Mahealani,” She says with a smile. She looks like an older version of River with the same tan skin and shiny black hair, and the same full cheeks that dimple when she grins.

Mrs. Mahaelani turns her head and calls into the house, “River! Theo is here.”

Theo hears an excited squeal followed by the thudding of feet on wood.

Mrs. Mahealani turns back to him. “River’s been talking about you non-stop since she came home yesterday,” She says, eyes roving over Theo’s costume. “She’s going to be thrilled you dressed up to match her.”

River appears in the doorway with a critical eye, she checks him over the same way her mother just had and then breaks out into a wide smile. “Dude, you look badass!”

“River,” Her mother chides with a fond shake of her head.

“Sorry, mom,” River says sheepishly, sounding anything but sorry.

Mrs. Mahealani sighs and scoots her daughter out the door. “Have fun, and try to stay out of trouble.”

“No promises!” River shouts and leaps from the porch with a battle cry. “Come on Theo! It’s candy time.”

Theo chuckles and bids Mrs. Mahealani a farewell and then hurries after River.

“You look badass too,” He tells the little girl when he catches up with her.

“I know,” She sighs happily swinging her candy bag, it’s surprisingly not empty even though they haven’t hit up any houses yet. Theo narrows his eyes at it.

“Let’s go terrorize the neighborhood,” She says excitedly.

\---

“Theo?”

Theo freezes, toilet paper dropping from his hands to the ground and rolling in front of River.

River sends him the cutest ‘Oh shit’ look Theo has ever seen and kicks the roll of toilet paper into the bushes in front of them. They both turn around with matching looks of pure innocence.

Liam, Mason, Corey, and Nolan are standing on the sidewalk just behind them. Four children hopping around beside them hyped on excitement and candy.

“What are you doing,” Liam asks, looking amused.

“Trick or treating,” River says quickly, wagging her overly full bag of candy at the group for emphasis. “Obviously.”

“Right,” Corey says disbelievingly as he eyes the toilet paper covered bush.

“You guys look scary,” Says Hugo, Nolan’s child charge.

Arabella wrinkles her nose. “What are you two supposed to be?”

“We’re zombies,” River says sharing a grin with Theo. “Like in Return of the Living Dead 3.”

“You guys look cool,” Mason says nodding his head. “Very gory and zombie-like.”

Nolan nods his head in agreement. “You two should come with us, we’re going to hit up the next two blocks for candy and then drop the kids off.”

“If you’re done TP-ing houses, that is,” Liam cuts in with a grin.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about, Liam,” Theo says airily sticking his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. “Do we River?”

River widens her eyes. “I don’t even know what TP-ing is.”

Theo tries to cover his laughter with a cough, but no one looks convinced. River skips over to the group and introduces herself loudly to each and every person as they all start to make their way down the road. Theo finds himself walking beside Liam.

“You’re a horrible influence,” Liam says jokingly, as they watch all of the children chat amiably with one another. Friendships are so easy to develop at such a young age.

“She’s the one that supplied the toilet paper and the idea,” Theo admits. “It was my first time TPing a house.”

Liam looks surprised by that. “Really? You never did it as a kid?”

“I only ever went trick or treating once and I had to go home early because of my asthma, I never had the time or energy to cause much destruction as a child,” Theo says without meaning to. He clears his throat awkwardly and adds. “I more than made up for it in my teenage years though.”

“Don’t do that,” Liam says quietly.

“Don’t do what?”

Liam glances at the group just a few feet in front of them and stops. He reaches out and grabs Theo by the wrist to make him stop as well. Liam’s hand is warm, grasp firm. Theo glances down at where his fingers are wrapped around him and then up to Liam’s face.

“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” Liam’s voice is low, but there’s a determined set to his eyes. “You’re not that person anymore, Theo.”

Theo has been the sole focus of those eyes before, but never like this. Theo wonders if Liam can feel the increase of his pulse beneath his fingers, he knows Liam can hear it. Theo is once again left with nothing to say for the second time in as many days.

Liam bites down on his bottom lip and turns his head, his hand slips away from Theo’s wrist.

 “Guys, hurry up,” Mason calls back at them. “The kids are getting too far ahead!”

 “Yeah,” He calls out to Mason. “We’re coming!”

Theo stay’s next to River for the remainder of the night, she doesn’t seem to mind though. Just uses him to check over her candy so that she can stuff it into her mouth as she walks.

\---

“I told you, you would regret eating all that candy,” Theo tells River as he hoists her up higher on his back.

“I regret nothing,” River says with a pained groan at being jostled.

Theo chuckles. “Sure, you don’t.”

He jostles her once again and she whines at him, little fingers digging into his skin where they’re wrapped around his neck. “Theo, you’re being mean.”

“Prove it,” He sings earning himself a sharp pinch that makes him wince.

“Hey,” River said quietly into his ear after several moments of silence. “That boy, the one dressed like a snowman… “

Theo frowns. “You mean Liam?”

He feels her nod against the side of his face. “Yeah, Liam.”

“What about Liam,” Theo asks as he turns onto her street, her bag of candy hitting repeatedly against his thigh from where it’s dangling around his wrist.

“Do you like him?”

Theo stumbles over a tiny dip in the sidewalk, River tightens her grip on him and squeaks in surprise. Theo just barely manages to right himself before falling. “What,” He chokes out.

“ _Like-like,_ I mean, not friends like,” River clarifies as though he hadn’t understood when she first asked. “Do you want to be his boyfriend?”

“No, I don’t,” Theo says and wonders why it feels a little bit like a lie. “We’re barely friends.”

She hums tiredly. “Okay, if you say so.”

He drops her down easily when they reach her front porch and he hands over her overflowing bag of candy.

“Thanks for being my Halloween partner,” River tells him reaching into her bag and pulling out a large handful of candy. She stuffs it into the pocket of his leather jacket. “There’s your share of the earnings, try not to eat it all at once.”

“You’re the coolest little kid ever,” Theo tells her with a low laugh, pockets heavy with sweets.

She grins up at him. “And you’re the coolest whatever you are.”

Theo blinks down at her in surprise, body going stiff. “What—How—”

“It’s Beacon Hills,” River grins.

She leans into Theo giving him a quick hug and a whispered thank you before darting up the stairs of the porch and throwing open her front door. “Bye Theo!”

“Yeah,” Theo says slowly, still shocked. “Bye, River.”

\---

The old Hale house stands in front of him like a skeleton, it’s aging bones sway in the headlights of Theo’s truck. He’s surprised to find that it scares him. Eyes staring absently into the surrounding darkness of the woods beyond the lights. He shuts off the truck, to conserve his gas and battery life, but leaves the key’s in the ignition.

He knows that parking his truck in the woods is an invitation for trouble, but he’s tired of being woken up by deputies and disgruntled business owners throughout the night. He just wants a full night of sleep. He’s far enough in the woods that a police cruiser won’t spot him. He’s also sure most officers won't drive anywhere near the Hale house at night. Looking at the place he can understand why.

He huffs, hand reaching out towards the leather jacket strewn across the passenger seat. He digs through the pocket and pulls out the handful of candy left over from Halloween night. It’s been in his pocket for three days and he hasn’t touched it once. He wrinkles his nose down at the overly sweet confections, picks through them until he finds a small minty candy. He tears it open and pops it into his mouth. He tosses the rest of the candy into his glove box and sighs.

The night is far colder than November in California has a right to be. Theo pulls his duffle bag closer and tugs out his blanket. It’s thin and worn, but it’s all he has for now. He’ll have to sequester some money away for a better one and maybe some warmer clothes. He doesn’t make much money as it is, spends most of it on gas and food. The only thing he ever splurges on is Melissa’s dinners’. He could probably find a place to park during the day and walk to and from school. It wouldn’t save him much, but it might help. Theo sighs then climbs over the middle console into the back seat and curls up beneath his blanket.

He falls asleep trying not to shiver.

\---

There’s a strange smell.

It pulls Theo from sleep. He blinks into the darkness, hand fumbling for his phone to check the time. The light on it is bright and he flinches away from it, eyes stinging as they blink away shadowy spots. It’s just after midnight. He frowns and slowly pushes himself upright, curious as to why he's awake.

He breathes in deeply and chokes on the taste of herbs. Theo freezes, mind whirling as he tries to focus his senses. There are heartbeats surrounding his truck. Human heartbeats. He tries not to panic when he hears the distinct cocking of a gun. The window to his right explodes as thunder rings out within the clearing of trees. Glass scrapes around Theo’s face, but he doesn’t have time to do anything about it as a gun is thrust through the shattered window. Another loud shot rings out, then another. Pain bursts like a bomb in his shoulder and side. He fumbles with the handle of his door, bloody fingers slipping on the freezing metal. He pushes with all of his strength and falls hard on the ground with a gasp.

“Don’t let that wolf bastard get away,” Someone yells. Theo doesn’t recognize the voice, but it’s deep and angry. He can’t think past the burning under his skin.

He’s shot three more times as he tries to stumble to his feet, slipping in the leaves and crashing repeatedly to the forest floor before he finds his footing enough to run.

He stumbles through the trees, blurry eyes seeking out the road to town. He pauses momentarily to lean against a tree and take a steadying breath, but it does nothing. He pushes off from the tree and runs as fast as his body will let him.

 

“Theo, fuck, Theo answer me!”

Someone is yelling at him, but Theo can’t summon up the strength to open his eyes. The panicked voice sounds oddly like Mason though.

“Mas..on..”

Yeah, it’s me. Come on big guy, you gotta help me get you in the car. I don’t have super strength and you are all muscles man,” Mason babbles. “Come on, come on.”

“’m shot,” Theo slurs.

“Yeah, believe me, dude, I can see that,” Mason’s voice is high.

“Dea…Deaton,” Theo whispers. He can feel hands tugging at him and he tries to help, but he’s so tired and everything burns like battery acid in his veins.

“I’ll take you there, just keep talking,” Mason urges him. “Tell me what happened.”

“Shot,” Theo says with difficulty, still trying to pry his own eyes open. “In… In the woods.”

“Theo, what the fuck were you doing in the woods alone?”

Theo feels like he’s being washed over by a tidal wave.

“Sleep…in...” Theo admits, because what’s the harm if he’s dying. “In my truck…In woods.”

“Fuck,” Mason breathes.

“Don’t worry, Theo,” Is the last thing he hears before the wave swallows him whole and carries him to the bottom of the ocean.

\---

It’s cold when Theo wakes up. His head feels fuzzy and his body aches.

“You’re awake,” Dr. Deaton says coming into the room. He smells like relief even though his face remains neutral.

“Finally,” Mason chimes in flinging himself into the room and shoving a cellphone into his back pocket. “Man, I thought you were dying.”

Theo frowns. “How did I…”

“Mr. Hewitt found you halfway into town in the middle of the road,” Deaton explains arms clasped behind his back.

“You looked like road kill,” Mason tells him, voice low and eyes wide. “You scared the shit out of me man.”

Theo lets out an unamused snort, it rings like a church bell through his head. He bites back a pained groan and sucks in a sharp breath, nausea rolling through his stomach.

“How long have I been here,” Theo asks through clenched teeth, eyes fluttering closed against the bright lights on overhead.

“You’ve been out for only a couple hours,” Deaton says and steps closer. “Are you capable of sitting up?”

Theo swallows the bile in the back of his throat at the thought of moving, pain radiating through his body. He squeezes his eyes closed tightly and pushes himself upright. Dr. Deaton's hands are neither gentle nor rough as they perfunctorily check over all of Theo’s wounds. All of them are still healing, it’s one of the many downsides of not being a real werewolf.

“You need more rest,” Deaton says stepping away and slipping his surgical gloves off his hands to toss into the waste bin. “And you should refrain from moving too much in the next few hours. I’ve stitched your wounds, but too abrupt of a movement could reopen them.”

His voice goes quieter. “It would be best to remain here for the remainder of the night, Theo, instead of trying to leave.”

Theo ignores both Deaton’s words of caution and advice. The man neither looks nor smells surprised when Theo pushes himself away from the table. Mason grabs him, hands wrapping carefully around one of Theo’s arms when he begins to sag towards the ground. Theo grits his teeth against the flare of pain that wracks his body and glares at Mason.

Mason stares back at him, unperturbed. The human’s dark eyes watch him, deep and considering. The word _intense_ flitters through Theo’s mind beneath Mason’s unnerving stare.

“Everyone needs a little help sometimes, Theo,” Mason says finally.

Theo turns his head away, one hand coming up to gently pry Mason’s hand away from his arm.

“Yeah,” Theo says quietly. “But not everyone deserves it.”

Mason says nothing, but Theo can feel the kid’s eyes on his back as he takes heavy steps towards the door and slips outside into the chilly night. He breathes in the crisp air and coughs when it stings his still healing lungs, there are black spots dancing through his vision when he turns his gaze forlornly to the parking lot. His truck is still in the woods, probably completely destroyed.

 _Maybe, I can sleep in the abandoned subway station,_ He muses sluggishly. He feels both like his body is too heavy to move and like he’s floating through the air. _Or the abandoned bank?_

He’s about to step off the curb into the parking lot when suddenly, he’s being manhandled by an irritated seventeen-year-old human.

“Look, asshole,” Mason huffs wrapping an arm around Theos shoulder and guiding him to the sleek little car parked next to Deaton’s. “I can see you obviously, didn’t get the memo, so I’ll be gracious and tell you myself.”

He pauses to pulls open the door and push Theo into the passenger seat. Theo growls up at him when the teen proceeds to lean in and buckle him up. He’s ignored. Mason mutters under his breath, “Safety first.”

Theo waits as the human jogs around the car and slips into the driver’s seat. He turns to Theo, eyes determined.

“We’re friends,” he points first at Theo and then at himself. “You and Corey are friends. You and Liam are… Well, you’re _You and Liam_.”

Mason is staring at him imploringly as if he’s trying to get Theo to understand something of significant importance, “We’re a family, a _pack_.”

His voice goes softer, “And it’s okay to lean on us from time to time when you need help.”

Theo doesn’t say anything because for once he has no idea how to respond. So, he just sits there quietly and stares at Mason. His chest feels both tight and loose at the same time, his eyes feel oddly warm. He doesn’t understand this feeling and it’s a little terrifying.

Mason gives him a small soft smile, “Come on, let’s get you home, yeah?”

Mason turns away from him and buckles himself up, starts the car and pulls out onto the road. Theo frowns when he starts driving further into town. Mason glances over at him and Theo realizes belatedly that he’s made a noise of protest.

“You’re going to be staying with Liam from now on, he’s already talked to his parents,” Mason says.

“What did he tell them,” Theo asks, curious about what Liam could have possibly said to convince his parents at 3 in the morning that a homeless 19-year-old needed to live with them.

Mason blinks at him. “That’s a good question and I don’t have an answer for it. He just called me a little before you woke up to tell me that he had everything sorted out.”

Theo huffs out a breath and settles back against the seat. He doesn’t say anything else, just lets Mason’s nervous babble wash over him until they pull up to Liam’s house.

Liam is sitting on the front porch waiting for them, head tilted back, the tan expanse of his throat exposed. Theo wonders idly if Scott or Derek had ever explained how dangerous it was to have your neck on display around other supernatural creatures. Knowing Scott though, the answer was probably no. Liam drops his head and grins at them when they pull into the driveway.

Mason puts the car in park and turns to Theo. His voice is quiet when he asks. “So, do you need help?”

Theo bites down on his bottom lip a snide remark begging to be released. He shakes his head and watches as Mason’s mouth opens, most likely to complain about Theo being a martyr again.

Theo holds up a hand, “It’s okay.”

Mason’s eyes travel down Theo’s body as if trying to see his injuries through his clothes.

“Okay, then I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Theo nods and climbs out of the car with a wince. He pauses, door still open. He leans down, doesn’t make eyes contact. “Thanks, Mason.”

“Any time, Teddy,” Mason grins.

Theo scowls and shuts the door harder than necessary, he ignores Mason’s loud squawk of protest.

Hey,” Liam says voice low when Theo reaches the porch. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Theo says immediately, and Liam rolls his eyes, hand reaching out just like it had on Halloween night to wrap around his wrist.

Tiny black veins swim up from Theo’s skin and travel across to Liam’s. The dulls ache that’s been hanging over his body slowly eases and it’s easier to breathe. Liam’s watching him, blue eyes dark in the shadows of the night. He smells like anxiety and frustration.

“I know,” Theo says quietly. “It was stupid to be in the woods alone. Mason already bitched me out.”

Liam’s lips twitch. He gives a firm nod of his head and drops Theo’s wrist.

“Good,” He says then hesitates. “My parents are inside, I told them a little about you. Uh, I also lied, like a lot, so…Mostly just play along, okay?”

Theo snorts. “You’re crap at lying.”

“Yeah, but you’re really good at it so we should be okay,” Liam licks his lips nervously. “I, uh, told them your parents kicked you out and disowned you.”

“You give them a reason why?”

“I said you didn’t tell me.”

Theo nods. “Okay, I can work with that…”

Liam starts towards the front door only stopping when he realizes that Theo isn’t actually following him. “Come on, Theo.”

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Theo tells him, stuffing his hands in the hoodie he had stolen from Mason’s backseat.

Liam frowns and takes a half step towards him.

“I know I don’t have to, I want to. You can’t keep living in your truck, it’s not safe and it’s…It’s not right.”

“You’re a paragon of rightness,” Theo says sarcastically.

“I don’t know what that means, but Theo, you’re part of my pack. Maybe not a part of Scott’s, but you are a part of this one and we look out for each other. So, stop standing there and come meet my parents.”

“Didn’t know we were at that stage in our relationship yet,” Theo chuckles as he follows Liam into the house. It’s warm and smells like love and food and life.

Theo can see Liam’s ears turning pink. “Shut up, Asshole.”

“Language, Liam,” Theo chides, nervous tension thrumming beneath his skin as they step into the living room. 


	11. Liam

 

Theo smells nervous beside him, his heart beat just a tad faster than its normal rhythm. Liam doesn’t understand why. Both of his parents are nice, neither of them has foul tempers or judgmental dispositions, but he supposes Theo wouldn’t know that, having never met them. He reaches out and squeezes Theo’s hand reassuringly as they make their way towards the living room, tiny tendrils of pain weave their way from Theo’s palm to Liam’s. Theo glances over at him, eyes looking startled at the contact.

“Calm down,” Liam murmurs as he steals the residual pain from Theo’s attack. “My parents aren’t ax murderers.”

Theo rolls his eyes, but the set of his shoulders eases ever so slightly as he easily extracts his hand from Liam’s. They pause just before entering the living room. Liam can hear the steady beating of his parent’s hearts as they wait, the gentle clinking of glass and soft, sleepy murmurs as they speak to one another.

He listens as Theo sucks in a steadying breath beside him and together they step into the living room. Both of Liam’s parents are sitting on the couch, large mugs of tea in their hands as they wait. There’s a noise of surprise from the chimera beside him, Liam glances over at Theo curiously, but Theo’s not looking at him, he’s staring wide-eyed at Liam’s dad.

“Dr. Geyer,” Theo’s voice is quiet, a mixture of surprise and something close to horror.

The bitter stench of embarrassment rolls from Theo and hits Liam full force. Liam wrinkles his nose at the smell, his eyes searching Theo’s face curiously. He has to quell the urge to reach out for Theo’s hand again when the chimera looks seconds away from bolting out of the house.

“Theo,” Liam’s dad says in surprise setting his tea down and standing up. “I had no idea that you were friends with Liam.”

Liam frowns over at his father then turns his attention back to Theo. Theo looks like he’s at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing in small intervals.

“I didn’t know you knew my dad,” Liam whispers and Theo jerks his head to stare at him like he had forgotten Liam was even there.

“I didn’t know he was your dad,” Theo says lowly, eyes darting between Liam and his father. “He said he had a son on the lacrosse team, but you have different last names.”

Liam’s father smiles warmly at Theo, but his words are directed at Liam. “We’ve run into each other at the hospital a few times.”

A frown works its way onto Liam’s face as he mulls over his father’s words. There’s no reason for Theo to be at the hospital, any injury he sustains will heal.

“What were you doing at the hospital,” Liam asks Theo with a tilt of his head.

His mother sighs from across the room. “Liam Dunbar, why do you have no manners,” She laments setting down her cup of tea and rising to her feet.

“I have manners,” Liam interjects under his breath.

“Hello, Theo, it’s good to meet you,” His mother says holding out her hand for Theo to shake and ignoring Liam’s mumbles.

The smell of nerves doesn’t go away, but Theo’s frightened demeanor does. Liam is reminded once again of just how great at acting Theo really is when he smiles at Liam’s mom and takes her small hand in his. “Hello, Ma’am, it’s lovely to meet you.”

“Please, call me Jenna,” Liam’s mother tells him, a bright smile on her face and her pale blue eyes shimmering with emotion.

Liam’s still not very good at reading chemo-signals, but he knows the basics; like embarrassment, and anger, and sadness. The latter of which is what his mother is feeling over Theo’s situation. It wraps around the room like a perfume. He wants to tell her that Theo wasn’t really kicked out by his parents, but the truth would be much harder for his mother to swallow, so lying really is the only option.

“Are you hungry, Theo,” His mother asks peering up into Theo's face. Liam has to hold back a smile. She always wants to feed people, especially in tense situations such as this.

“No ma’am—Jenna,” Theo corrects himself quickly a shy smile spilling onto his lips, that Liam thinks might actually be real. “I’m good, thank you.”

“Liam didn’t tell us much about your situation,” Liam’s father says. “Just that you were kicked out of your parent’s house.”

“Yes, sir,” Theo says, looking sheepish. “I—”

“No, no,” His father says cutting him off. “You don’t need to tell us the story. We just want you to know that you are more than welcome here."

His mother nods. "We do have a few rules though, the same ones we give Liam." 

"Of course," Theo says nodding understandingly. 

Liam steps back and listens as they talk, words running over him as he watches the way in which Theo interacts with his father. It’s familiar and friendly, as though the regularly speak to one another. He seems a little less comfortable speaking with Liam's mom though. Liam wonder's if it's because they've never met before, or if it's because she's intensely doting.

“I have a job,” Liam hears Theo say. “I don’t make very much but I can pay you back for letting me stay here.”

“You have a job,” Liam asks incredulously cutting into the conversation.

Theo glances over at him the high of his cheeks red. “Yeah, I uh, work with Deaton at the clinic.”

“Since when,” Liam asks trying to think back to any time that Theo might have mentioned or alluded to the fact that he works for the secretive vet.

“Since he caught me showering there last month,” Theo admits quietly. 

Liam holds back a frustrated growl as he watches the nervous way Theo's hands fidget at his sides. There’s so much he doesn’t know about Theo. Liam had called them friends, called them pack and yet Theo hides nearly every aspect of his life from them. He wants to call Theo an idiot, but he would definitely get reprimanded by his mother.

Liam’s dad smiles gently at Theo and shakes his head. Liam wants to know why the two of them are so familiar with one another, but his father won’t tell him if Theo asked him not to and there’s no way that Theo didn’t ask him not to. Theo is a secretive asshole like that.

“No, no, Jen and I make more than enough, Theo,” his father tells the chimera. “You just focus on finishing school and saving up for your future.”

“I—" Theo’s voice cuts off and Liam knows that he wants to say thank you, he also knows how difficult it must be for Theo to be faced with people who want what’s best for him without asking for anything in return.

“How about a tour, Theo,” His father asks brightly, a hand resting on Theo’s shoulder and turning him towards the hall. “Wouldn’t want you to get lost in the middle of the night.”

Liam’s mother rolls her eyes. “It’s the middle of the night, now, dear.”

His father grins adoringly at her. “Still don’t want him getting lost.”

She snorts out a laugh and waves them away. “Fine, show him the house, even though there’s not much to see.”

Liam and his mom watch as they walk away, both of them knowing that it has nothing to do with a tour and everything to do with a secret conversation. Liam can hear the indistinct murmur of his father and Theo talking. He wants to focus his hearing and listen in to what they’re saying, but the thought of intruding on their conversation makes him feel guilty so he turns his attention to his mother. She’s staring at the stairs where Theo and his father have disappeared to.

“He’s a lovely boy,” She tells Liam, voice full of sadness. “I don’t understand parents sometimes, how they can just so callously throw their children away.”

Without warning, she pulls Liam into a hug and smacks a kiss on the top of his head.

“You’re such a good son,” she tells him as she holds him close. The soft scent of lavender encompassing him.

An objection sits heavily on the tip of Liam’s tongue because he’s _really not_ a good son _._ There is so much he isn’t telling his parents. So much that he _wants_ to, but fear holds him back, fear of what they’ll think and fear of what could possibly happen to them if they were ever to really know about the type of life that he leads.

She pulls away and smiles at him, eyes wet with held back tears. “And you’re so kind, just like your father.”

Liam doesn’t have to ask which father she’s talking about, he knows it’s the man currently upstairs talking to Theo and Liam feels pride in knowing that they’re alike in this way.

“Thanks, Mom,” he says embarrassedly, the toe of his shoe scuffing at the floor.

She pats his cheek. “Try not to stay up too late,” She glances back at the stairs. “That poor boy looks like he hasn’t had a decent night sleep in months.”

“He hasn’t,” Liam says absently, thinking of how long it’s been since he brought Theo back from hell, how long he must have been living in his truck. How he had to have been living there during the fight with the hunters and the Anukite, unsafe and out in the open. Alone.

His mother gives him a searching look. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner that your friend needed help?”

“He didn’t tell me,” Liam admits quietly. He’s angry with Theo and with himself, he should have tried harder to find out. He should have done a lot of things as the acting alpha, but he didn’t, and he feels like he’s let Theo down.

“Well,” She says on a sigh. “Go save Theo from your father, he’s probably talking that poor boys ear off. Kind he may be, but laconic he is not.”

\---

 

He finds Theo and his dad in the hallway. They’re discussing the merits of having stairs to the attic instead of a ladder. Liam has to quell the small bubble of laughter that builds in the back of his throat. He pauses at the end of the hallway and leans against the banister of the stairs. He watches the easy way they speak to one another.

Theo looks comfortable albeit exhausted as he leans back against the wall. There’s a looseness to his shoulders that isn’t usually there, and a small upward tilt to his lips that draws Liam’s eye. He finds himself thinking of the kiss suddenly. The one that had happened weeks and weeks ago in the principal’s office. It hadn’t been more than a brush of lips, barely even constituting as a kiss, but the thought of it makes his face go warm.

“Hey dad,” He says stepping forward and shaking off his thoughts. It wouldn’t do well to dwell on something like that. Especially, when it’s about his new roommate. “It’s late, we should all get some sleep.”

His dad smiles at him and Liam is helpless but to smile back. “You’re right, you boys get some sleep if you need anything you know where to find us,” He pats Theo affectionately on the shoulder. “Night boys.”

“Night dad,” Liam says as his father pauses next to him and presses a kiss to the top of his head.

“Night, Dr. Geyer,” Theo murmurs quietly.

Liam waits until his father disappears back down the stairs before turning his attention to Theo. He finds Theo staring back at him curiously.

“What?”

“Did you listen in,” Theo asks quietly as he pushes off the wall, his hands slipping into the pockets of his borrowed hoodie.

“No,” Liam shakes his head. “I mean, I wanted to, but it’s not my business.”

“Oh.” A look of surprise flitters across Theo’s face, there and gone in a second.

 “Come on, this way.” Liam beckons Theo to follow him down the hall where he pushes open his bedroom door.

“I’m surprised,” Theo says stepping in after him, head moving from side to side as he takes it all in. Liam realizes that Theo’s never been in his room before. They’ve always had their meetings in Mason’s room or in the cafeteria at school. “I thought it would be messier than this.”

“It usually is,” Liam admits following Theo’s line of sight. “But, after Mason called and told me about what happened I talked to my parents and as soon as they agreed to let you stay here I cleaned up a little so that your mattress could fit.”

Liam nods his head towards the corner of the room as he closes the door behind Theo. “Sorry, if it smells like me, by the way, it was mine until last year.”

“The whole room smells like you, Liam,” Theo tells him as he looks around, eyes calculating.

“Oh,” Liam says slowly because of course, it does. “Right, sorry.”

Theo glances over his shoulder at Liam before looking away.

“I didn’t say it was bad,” Theo murmurs as he walks around the room, hands touching and fiddling with things on Liam’s shelves curiously.

Liam watches him as he moves through the room. There’s a drag to his movements. The motion not as smooth or graceful as usual. Liam wonder’s if Theo’s still in pain if he’s still not fully healed from earlier. Liam sniffs surreptitiously at the air, he can smell old blood and sweat and the lingering stench of fear, but nothing fresh.

“Um, the bathroom is through those doors,” Liam says awkwardly pointing to the set of doors on the far-left wall. “If you want to shower, I mean. You smell like blood still.

Theo pauses to look at him, eyes dark. “Okay.”

He doesn’t head to the bathroom though, he just continues perusing through Liam’s things, like a small stone-faced child in a candy store. Liam drops down into his desk chair and kicks off his shoes. He doesn’t know what else to do or say so he’s decided to just ignore Theo until the chimera finishes whatever it is he’s doing. He drops his head back against the chair and swivels back and forth with his eyes closed. He listens to the soft sound of footsteps and the clacking of objects being picked up and set down.

 “Liam,” Theo says slowly after several long moments of silence between them.

There’s a tremor of amusement in Theo’s voice that instantly has Liam on guard. Liam lifts his head warily and opens his eyes. He finds Theo crouching in front of the closet, both doors open and his back to Liam.

“What,” Liam asks knowing that he’s going to regret whatever it is.

“Why are there garden gnomes in your closet?”

“Fuck,” Liam whispers, head dropping back against the seat again. He had forgotten those were in there. He knew he should have just tossed them all in the trash when he had the chance.

Theo turns to face him and cocks an eyebrow, he’s holding one of the unbroken gnomes in his hand. “Is this some weird fetish?”

What?” Liam chokes and practically falls from his chair in his haste to push himself out of it, his hands flapping uselessly at his sides. “No!”

“I’m okay with sleeping on the couch if you need some alone time with the little fella’s. Just put a sock or something on the door so I know not to come into the room,” Theo continues, voice entirely too serious for Liam’s liking.

Liam is horrified at what Theo is implying he does with his mother’s creepy little lawn ornaments. “No, that’s not—Why would you even suggest—Just, no.”

Theo smirks at him, brandishing the gnome in his hand at Liam and waggling it. “I’d love to hear an explanation for this,” he snorts turning back to the closet and rummaging through its contents unabashedly. Liam can hear him mumbling to himself. “Why are there so many gnomes in your closet, you’re _so_ weird.”

“I’m not weird,” Liam mutters at Theo’s back petulantly.

Theo glances over his shoulder at him, the expression on his face full of disbelief. “Really?”

Liam crosses his arms over his chest. “They’re my mom’s garden gnomes, Theo.”

“That doesn’t explain why they’re in _your_ closet.”

“I uh, broke two of them so I thought it would be better to just hide all of them in my room and pretend like someone stole them,” Liam’s just now realizing how strange of a plan that really had been. He’s also just now understanding what people mean when they say he’s an act first think later kind of guy.

“Why’d you break them,” Theo asks and it’s such an innocent question, but Liam has no idea how to tell Theo that he broke them the night they got into a fight without it making him sound childish. Theo glances over his shoulder when Liam takes too long to respond. “Liam?”

“I kicked one of them, into the other,” Liam’s says avoiding the initial question.  

Theo snorts. “Mad that it’s almost taller than you?”

“No.”

Theo pushes himself up from his crouched position in front of the closet and shuts the doors. “Then, what other grudge could you possibly have against a ceramic garden gnome?”

“I was mad at you,” Liam admits through clenched teeth. That gives Theo pause, both of his brows lifting in surprise.

“Because?”

“Because you were being a secretive dick and because I said things I didn’t mean, and I just wanted you to tell me if you were okay because I was worried about you damnit,” Liam’s voice is steadily rising, anger and guilt getting the better of him. Theo could have been killed earlier, all because of the chimera’s stupid sense of pride.

He knows he should end the conversation now before they both get carried away, but he can’t stop himself from continuing. “And, _obviously_ I had a right to be worried because what the fuck Theo? How could you not tell me you were living in your truck? And, what were you thinking parking in the fucking woods? You know there are hunters around! You could have died!”

Theo’s body is still and tense. His shoulder raised almost defensively towards his ears as he stares back at Liam. “We’re not exactly Friends”

“We are,” Liam insists at once, not even pausing to think about it.

“We _weren’t,_ ” Theo says after a moment’s thought. “The night when we argued in the truck we weren’t.”

“We _were_ friends, even then, you just didn’t know it yet because you're obtuse,” Liam spits out bitterly.

“ _I’m obtuse_?” Theo snorts, his head turning to the side.

“What’s that supposed to mean,” Liam narrows his eyes at Theo, but the chimera doesn’t offer up any explanation. Liam sighs and shakes his head. “Fine, you’re right, I’m obtuse, but so are you, Theo.”

Theo twists his head back to look at Liam, his mouth opening as if to argue but Liam continues before he has the chance to say a word.

“No, listen you, idiot,” Liam sighs and steps closer to Theo, a hand running through his hair in frustration. “How many times am I going to have to spell it out for you before you get it through that stupid head of yours? We’re friends, Theo. We’re pack. We look out for each other and _we take care of each other_. It’s what we do.”

Theo stares down at him, his green eyes are dark and contemplative.

“Fine,” Theo says.

Liam nods. “Good,” He says back before marching over to his dresser and digging out a pair of sweats that’ll fit Theo and throws them at the chimera’s head.  “Go take a shower, you smell like road kill.”

Theo chuckles, but Liam can hear the soft padding of shoes against carpet as the chimera makes his way towards the bathroom. A small sigh of relief slips through his lips as he throws himself down on his bed.

He hopes this isn’t a bad idea, he also wonders how he’s doing to tell Scott. He knows that Theo had spoken to the alpha and had gotten his permission to re-enroll in school, but he doesn’t know exactly how things were left between them. Liam’s been holding off on telling Scott that Theo is a part of Liam’s pack. He wanted to do it in person during winter break when the elder members of the pack return and after they had all gotten a chance to see how much Theo has really changed.

Now though, now Theo is living with Liam and he knows that he doesn’t have a choice but to come clean to his alpha soon.

Liam buries his face in his pillow, the room already smells so much like Theo, like the chimera’s been here for days instead of less than an hour. Liam doesn’t bother changing out of his clothes, exhaustion pulling him down, he lets the sound of the shower wash over him, lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but this fic will not contain smut...


End file.
